Casey Kelly Continues Close Ties with LG Twins After KBO Departure

Casey Kelly, the former star pitcher for the LG Twins of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), continues to maintain a strong connection with the team even after his departure in 2024. The 38-year-old recently visited the LG Twins’ spring camp in Scottsdale, Arizona, on February 18, 2026, reuniting with former teammates Lee Min-ho and Jung Woo-young.

A Familiar Face Returns to Spring Camp

This marks Kelly’s second consecutive year visiting the LG Twins during spring training. He initially left the team in July 2024 due to a foreign player replacement, but surprised players with a visit to the camp with his family last year. Despite now residing in Arizona, Kelly’s continued presence at the LG Twins’ spring camp demonstrates a lasting bond with the organization and its players.

Reunion with Former Teammates

This year’s visit was particularly special as Kelly was able to reconnect with Lee Jung-yong and Lee Min-ho, who recently completed their mandatory military service and rejoined the team for spring training. Kelly expressed his happiness, stating through the club that he missed all his former teammates and enjoyed sharing a meal of Korean food with them.

A Legendary Career with the LG Twins

Kelly is remembered as a pivotal figure in LG Twins history. He played for the team from 2019 to 2024, accumulating a record of 73 wins and 46 losses with a 3.25 ERA and 753 strikeouts in 989 ⅓ innings pitched across 163 games. His consistent performance, exceeding 160 innings pitched each year, was instrumental in the team’s success, including their Korean Series championship in 2023, where he recorded a 1.59 ERA in two games.

Current Status and Future Prospects

While Kelly’s performance declined in his final season with LG (5 wins, 8 losses, 4.51 ERA in 19 games), his impact on the team and its fans remains significant. He briefly appeared in games for the Cincinnati Reds in 2024 and the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2025, but currently remains a free agent. Despite not securing a firm MLB position, Kelly has expressed a desire to continue his baseball career.

LG Twins Celebrate Lunar Latest Year

The LG Twins also took time to celebrate the Lunar New Year at their spring camp in Scottsdale. Players, coaches, and staff participated in traditional Korean games like rock-paper-scissors and jegichagi (a traditional Korean foot hacky sack game). Traditional Korean food, including rice cake soup, japchae, and jeon, was served, allowing foreign players like Anders Tolhurst and Lachlan Wells to experience Korean culture firsthand.

The LG Twins will continue their spring training in Scottsdale until February 24th before moving to Okinawa, Japan, for further training and exhibition games.