Byun Woo-hyeok (23), who was once a prospect for the future central batting line of the Hanwha Eagles, is now expected to be a great gun resource for the KIA Tigers. The first spring camp after the transfer is also proceeding smoothly.
Byun Woo-hyuk started as the team’s fifth hitter and first baseman in the 2023 spring camp practice game against the Lotte Giants held at Kintown Baseball Stadium in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan on the 3rd.
Byun Woo-hyeok, who went on base with a walk in the first at-bat at the end of the second inning, advanced to third base due to an opponent’s error after two outs. Then, in the 8th at-bat Joo Hyo-sang succeeded in a double steal with first base runner Kim Ho-ryeong and became the protagonist of the first run. He looked as if he would not run at all, then ran home as soon as catcher Ji Shi-wan threw to second base.
In the second at-bat, Byun Woo-hyuk, who stepped on first base due to an opponent’s error, reported a hit in the 5th inning. Appearing in a 1st, 1st and 2nd base situation, he scored a left-handed hit against Lotte’s third pitcher, Seo Jun-won. Although second base runner Lee Woo-sung was out at home, he could not score an RBI, but it was an impressive hit.
On this day, Byun Woo-hyuk recorded 1 hit, 2 runs and 1 steal in 4 at-bats. Along with him, young hitters played an active role, and KIA won 8-0 against Lotte.
Byun Woo-hyuk, who graduated from Bukil High School and joined Hanwha as the first designated player in 2019, drew attention as a future geopo prospect. During his high school years, he raised expectations by winning the runner-up in the ‘World Power Showcase’ held in the United States, beating the world’s most promising players.
Byun Woo-hyuk made his mark by reporting a home run in 6 games after his first team debut (against Sajik Lotte on April 6, 2019). However, at Hanwha, he failed to reach his full potential. He only appeared in 50 games in the first team for four years, including the period of military service, and stayed with a career batting average of 0.223 and 16 home runs in the Futures League.
In addition, the fact that he could not play many games due to injury was also a stumbling block. In the end, he ended up wearing a KIA uniform through a trade in November of last year. The KIA even gave up pitchers Han Seung-hyuk and Jang Ji-su to recruit him.
Hitting coach Lee Beom-ho said of Byun Woo-hyeok, “If he is selected as the first nomination in Hanwha, he is a good player with a career.” is” was the evaluation. Then he diagnosed, “He needs to match the timing well to gain strength, but that doesn’t work, so he can’t use his strength.”
At the same time, coach Lee said, “We are preparing for the US camp to proceed with the advantages.”
Byun Woo-hyuk himself is well aware of his weaknesses. He said, “There were ups and downs in hitting. Coach Lee Beom-ho said, ‘When I’m not feeling well, I follow the ball too much.'” He said, “I’ve been paying attention to that since practice, and it’s coming out well even during games,” he said, “If you go into the bat and think about that, the results are good.”
Experiencing his first transfer after 4 years of joining the professional team motivated him. Byun Woo-hyuk said, “It was good because he felt like starting anew, and coach Lee Beom-ho felt like he was a good fit, so he was having fun without worrying.” He also said, “I felt good (recognize me at KIA),” and “I was motivated to prepare well from winter, and I had a sense of responsibility.” 메이저사이트
I also had a special experience in Gwangju. Byun Woo-hyuk confessed, “I feel grateful and responsible for recognizing me in Gwangju. It’s amazing that people recognize me a lot when I go to a cafe or restaurant without any expectations.” At the same time, he said, “It is famous that the passion of KIA fans is enormous, and I felt it once again.”
Regarding his physical condition, Byun Woo-hyuk protested, “There’s been a lot more talk about injuries than I thought. You know I’ve been sick all along, but last year I got sick for the first time.” He said, “I’m still in good shape because I managed well in the training part. I’m trying to do it while managing it like now.”