Seoul: The 2025 preseason in South Korean baseball will commence on March 8, marking the introduction of the new pitch clock, as announced by the league office on Wednesday. The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) has scheduled a series of 10 games for each of its 10 clubs, spanning from March 8 to 18. All games are set to begin at 1 p.m., with no provisions for extra innings or doubleheaders.
According to Yonhap News Agency, teams have the option to request evening game times to help players adjust to playing under lights before the regular season. Any preseason game cancellations will not be rescheduled. The pitch clock, a new rule for the 2025 season, will be implemented during these games. Pitchers must begin their delivery within 20 seconds with bases empty and within 25 seconds with runners on base.
The KBO initially aimed to introduce the pitch clock in 2024 but faced opposition from teams, though the league monitored violations without imposing penalties. The automated ball-strike (ABS) system will also be in effect for preseason games, with adjustments made to the strike zone dimensions. In 2025, the top of the strike zone is set at 55.75 percent of a hitter's height, and the bottom at 27.04 percent, slightly lowering the zone from previous measurements.
Additionally, the KBO has revised the "three-foot rule," broadening the runner's lane in line with changes implemented by Major League Baseball in 2024. The new rule allows a runner to be in compliance if both feet remain on the dirt between home plate and first base, rather than strictly within foul territory.
During the preseason, each team is permitted two video review challenges per game, with the possibility of an extra challenge if two consecutive challenges are successful. The 2025 regular season is set to begin on March 22, marking the earliest start in league history.