KBO: Ulsan Whales Receive Approval to Join KBO Futures League

The Korea Baseball Organization’s minor league system, the KBO Futures League, just added its 12th organization.   

Following the city’s approval process, the Ulsan Whales will join the KBO Futures League this March. They will be the first professional baseball club in Ulsan and will compete in the Southern Division during their inaugural season.  

Other KBO-affiliated clubs in the Southern Division include the Samsung Lions, KT Wiz, Lotte Giants, and Kia Tigers. Most KBO farm clubs use the same team name as their parent team.  

“The name was chosen to reflect Ulsan’s cultural and historical identity as Korea’s ‘Whale City,’ symbolizing the strength, energy, and dynamic spirit associated with whales,” Haps Magazine Korea wrote Monday. “The city noted that the name is easy to pronounce, carries strong branding potential, and helps distinguish the club from other teams.”  

The Chosun Daily reports that former Doosan Bears manager Jang Won-jin was appointed the club’s first manager.   

“As a manager, I will trust each player’s potential and address weaknesses during our inaugural season,” Jang said in a conversation with The Chosun Daily. “I will strive to ensure Ulsan Whales becomes a team that elevates South Korean baseball.” 

The Whales will play their home games at Munsu Baseball Stadium in Ulsan, where a celebratory announcement of the team was held for the citizens of the South Korean city. KBO Commissioner Heo Koo-youn was in attendance, per The Chosun Daily’s report.  

Founded in 1982, the KBO Futures League plays an 80-game regular season and has seen many players with minor league experience blossom in the KBO, similar to Major League Baseball’s minor league structure.