Seohyun Kim (19), the ‘monster rookie’ of the Hanwha Eagles, the first overall pick in the 2023 rookie draft, is evolving with each appearance. Along with his faster velocity, he is also showing a game management ability that is not like a rookie.
In the 2023 Korean Professional Baseball (KBO) League LG Twins match held at Daejeon Hanwha Life Insurance Eagles Park on the 23rd, Kim Seo-hyun climbed the mound as the second pitcher in the top of the 3rd inning, with the team leading 4-0, with 1 hit, 1 walk, and 4 strikeouts in 2 innings. Scored 1 run. He played multiple innings for the first time in the third game of the first team stage.
After Lee Tae-yang, who started as a starter, blocked LG’s lineup with two scoreless innings, coach Carlos Subero did not hesitate to put Kim Seo-hyun on the mound. The first batter, Hong Chang-ki, struck out on a swing, but Seong-ju Moon, the second batter, walked. After a full count game, the last 7th fastball soared into the sky. It was a whopping 159.5 km, the highest speed.
In fact, what was more important than the redemption that day was the rematch with LG Kim Hyun-soo, who had a hit in the last game. Kim Seo-hyun, who remembered throwing a fastball in the first confrontation and getting a hit, pulled out Kim Hyun-soo’s strikeout on a swing with a thorough breaking ball game (4 sliders, 1 changeup).메이저놀이터
In the ensuing at-bat, he brought himself into a scoring crisis with a wild throw, and was hit by Austin in a timely manner, giving up his first earned run in his debut. However, he induced a ground ball to Moon Bo-kyung and blocked the first inning. In the 4th inning, he struck out Joo-Hyun Jung and Dong-Won Park in a row, and finished the mound by catching Seo Geon-Chang with a foul fly. His game management ability to properly mix his breaking ball and steal the batter’s timing stood out.
Kim Seo-hyun said, “I threw a fastball (to senior Kim Hyun-soo) in the last game and got a hit. So this time, he competed with a breaking ball, and it was thrilling to strike out,” he said, expressing his determination, saying, “Now I’m trying to pay more attention to ball formulation and control than speed.”