▲ Left-handed prospect Kim Seok-hwan whom KIA is looking forward to ⓒ KIA Tigers
The KIA Tigers, a prestigious club in the KBO League, are considered one of the teams that have strengthened their power the most in this Stove League. He signed Na Seong-beom, the biggest free agent for six years, for a total of 15 billion won, and Yang Hyun-jong, who made a U-turn in the major leagues, returned to the free agent for a total of 10.3 billion won in four years. All three foreign players were also changed.
However, last year’s 9th place KIA did not have the power to challenge the top spot right away. There are still positions that are weak within the team. One of them is left fielder. The new foreign beast Socrates Britto will take center field, and Na Seong-beom will take over the right field, but the left fielder is Gongsan Lee.
The player that KIA is looking forward to the most is Kim Seok-hwan, a promising left-handed hitter who weighs 187 cm and 97 kg. After graduating from Gwangju Dongseong High School, he joined KIA in the 2nd 3rd round in 2017 with the 24th place and has already completed his military service. On October 29, at the end of last season, he made a strong impression by hitting his first home run against the Gwangju Doosan Bears.
KIA’s in-house fostered outfielders in their 20s or younger are rare, so Kim Seok-hwan is a blessing in the face of drought. However, it is unclear whether he will play full-time in the first team until last year, appearing only in six games in his career.
▲ Ko Jong-wook was released from SSG and joined KIA ⓒ SSG Landers
Ko Jong-wook, who was recruited by the KIA to compensate for the weakness of the outfielder, is also one of the candidates for the left fielder. While playing for SSG Landers last year, he posted a batting average of 0.267, 2 homers, 18 RBIs and 0.651 OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage), but was released after the season ended. He has batting ability with a career batting average of 0.301, and although he has quick feet, his outfield defense is not good. I wonder if it will rebound by proving last year’s slump as a temporary phenomenon.
Chang-Jin Lee appeared in 133 games in 2019 and was nominated for the Rookie of the Year with a batting average of 0.270, 6 homers, 48 RBIs and 0.746 OPS, and was expected to continue to maintain his lead in the future. However, over the past two years, he has suffered from injuries and sluggishness and has been pushed out of the starting competition. In particular, he played 105 games last year, but was sluggish with a batting average of 0.209, 3 homers, 33 RBIs, and an OPS of 0.593. It is urgent for Lee Chang-jin to prove that he is consistent not only in his physical condition but also in his skills.
Kim Ho-ryeong has a reputation as a national representative level beyond the KIA when it comes to outfield defense. However, it is necessary to overcome the chronic weakness that the bat is weak. Last year, he had a batting average of 0.208, 4 homers, 15 RBIs, and an OPS of 0.637, which was not enough to take on the role of an outfielder who emphasizes hitting. It is also important to maintain good health, as there has not been a season in the KBO League that has played more than 100 games in the past three years.
▲ KIA Naji-wan, who was granted free agent status after the end of last season but gave up the application ⓒ KIA Tigers
There is also interest in whether veteran Najiwan, who obtained his second free agent qualification after the end of last year’s season but gave up his application, will be revived. Due to injuries and sluggishness last year, he played only 31 games, batting 0.160 and 7 RBIs with no home runs, and an OPS of 0.497. It was the first season Naji-wan, who made his professional debut in 2008, did not hit a home run.
The built-in designated hitter is Choi Hyung-woo, and Naji-wan must overcome outfield competition to survive in the first team. Some believe that if Naji-wan is sluggish even this season, it will be difficult for him to continue his active career, let alone apply for a free agent.
It is true that the KIA has acted as an excuse for the frustration of fall baseball as the outfielder’s karate competitiveness has declined over the past few years. This year, it is noteworthy whether a certain left fielder will appear and build an outfield that does not fall behind other teams to play in autumn baseball.
[관련 기사] KIA, where the survival race begins, will Chan-ho Park survive?
[기록 참조: 야구기록실 케이비리포트(KBReport.com), KBO기록실]
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