From Samsung to Success: Kim Dong-yup’s 3-Day Re-Employment Miracle
- Kiwoom Heroes announced on its official website on the 4th that it has recruited outfielder Kim Dong-yeop from Samsung Lions.
- Kim Dong-yup, who graduated from Cheonan Bukil High School and played in the minor leagues under the Chicago Cubs, joined the SK Wyverns in 2016 and transferred to...
- Kim Dong-yup, also the older son of Kim Sang-guk, who played as a catcher for the Bingray Eagles, joined the Cubs in 2009 for a contract fee of...
Kim Dong-yeop, a right-handed slugger who has a total of 92 home runs, will continue his active career in Kyum next year.
Kiwoom Heroes announced on its official website on the 4th that it has recruited outfielder Kim Dong-yeop from Samsung Lions. “We are happy to recruit a right-handed slugger that the team needs. With the addition of Kim Dong-yup, we will be able to balance the left and right sides of the batting line and develop a strong. A veteran and a young member of our team “I hope will have a positive effect on the players,” he said.
Kim Dong-yup, who graduated from Cheonan Bukil High School and played in the minor leagues under the Chicago Cubs, joined the SK Wyverns in 2016 and transferred to Samsung in the winter of 2018. During his nine years as a professional, he recorded a career batting average of .268, 92 home runs, 316 RBI, and 260 runs scored. Kim Dong-yeop is a slugger and has hit 20 home run seasons three times with a long streak. Kim Dong-yeop, who was informed of his release from Samsung at the end of the season, succeeded in his ‘re-employment’ by joining KYOM three days after his release.
Joined a new team 3 days after release
Kim Dong-yup, also the older son of Kim Sang-guk, who played as a catcher for the Bingray Eagles, joined the Cubs in 2009 for a contract fee of $550,000, but played in the Rookie League and previously in Single A. He ended his career in the United States in 2012. After completing his military service as a social worker, he began his career in the KBO League by being selected as the 86th pick by SK in the 2nd 9th round of the 2016 Rookie Draft. This was a lower ranking than other foreign players such as Nam Tae-hyuk, Jeong Su-min, and Na Kyung-min.
Unlike most foreign players who joined the KBO league and left the KBO league at the same time, Kim Dong-yup still survives in the league. Kim Dong-yeop, who showed promise with a .336 batting average and 6 home runs in his first season, played well with 22 home runs and 70 RBI in 2017 and 27 home runs and 76 RBI in 2018. And in December 2018, he donned the Samsung uniform through the first triangle trade involving Lee Ji-young (SSG) and Ko Jong-wook (KIA Tigers).
Kim Dong-yeop had his best season since his professional debut in 2020, his second season after being transferred to Samsung, appearing in 115 games and recording a .312 batting average, 129 hits, 20 home runs, 74 RBI and 60 runs scored. However, after the thrilling memory of 2020, Kim Dong-yeop was pushed out of the competition for the starting position for the past four years and the second team had to fight between Daegu and Gyeongsan. Finally, Kim Dong-yeop, who has performed poorly this year with a .111 batting average in eight games, received notice from Samsung on the 1st that his contract could not be renewed.
However, he joined QoM three days after leaving Samsung and succeeded in finding a new job at lightning speed. Even though he’s only hit 11 home runs over the last four years, that means the league is still in demand for right-handed sluggers. In fact, the right-handed hitter who hit the most home runs this year in Kyum was Kim Jeon-hee, a sophomore with 9 home runs. This means that, like Choi Joo-hwan, who went in the second round of the draft earlier this season, Kim Dong-yup will be able to get a chance in the first team.
Dong-Yeop Kim will compete with Hyong-Jung Lee and Jae-Young Jang for the right-handed outfielder position at Kyum next season. In particular, he has transitioned from a pitcher to a hitter this year and is a promising prospect that Kuume is nurturing as a ‘future center hitter’. This means that Kim Dong-yeop, who has already turned 34, will have to build on his performances from the start of the season to stay in the first team next year.
The ‘success stories’ of foreign fielders are on the rise
Players who advance to a foreign league without going through the KBO league may participate in the KBO League Rookie Draft only after a two-year grace period after leaving the foreign club when returning to the KBO League. Since the mid-2010s, an increasing number of foreign players who have not fulfilled their dream of becoming a major leaguer take a two-year grace period (usually after serving in the military) and attempt to enter the rookie draft. . And among them, there are quite a few fielders who are still active.
The most successful foreign fielder is Son Ho-young, who took over as the Giants’ starting third baseman this year. Son Ho-young, who signed a minor contract with the Cubs in 2014, returned to the KBO League in 2020, joining the LG Twins. Son Ho-young, who didn’t even play 100 games in three years at LG, was traded to Lott this year and played very well as Lott’s starting third baseman, recording a .317 batting average, 126 hits, 18 home runs, 78 RBIs, and 70 runs in 102 games.
SSG Landers outfielder Ha Jae-hoon graduated from Yongma High School and joined the Cubs, playing as an outfielder and pitcher for seven years before joining SK in 2019 after playing in the Japanese Independent League. Ha Jae-hoon, who took over as SK’s closer in his first season, made a splash by winning the save title with 5 wins, 3 losses, 36 saves and 3 holds and an ERA of 1.98. However, due to injuries, he could not blossom as a pitcher and has been playing as an outfielder since 2022.
Lee Hak-joo, who was on the verge of being called up to the major leagues, was a prospect who was highly anticipated to be sent to second base when Kim Sang-soo (Katie Wiese) joined Samsung in 2019. However, Lee Hak-ju, whose performance gradually declined during his three years at Samsung, left Lotte via a trade in January 2022. Lee Hak-joo, who played 91 games in 2022 and 104 games last year, played just 43 games in the first team this year when coach Kim Tae-hyung took over, and his position in the team was greatly reduced.
Kwang-min Kwon, who played in the Cubs’ minor leagues from 2016 to 2019, completed his military service on active duty after leaving the Cubs, went through the independent leagues and joined the Hanwha Eagles as the 41st overall pick in the 2nd 5th round of the 2022 Rookie Draft. Kwon Kwang-min, who didn’t make much of an impression two years after joining Hanwha with a .188 batting average, 2 home runs and 17 RBI, was called up to the first team at the end of the season and showed a .271 batting average, 4 home runs in 19 games. His potential as a left-handed slugger recorded a run and 9 RBI.
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