Samsung Lions’ future Kim Hyun-jun (20)’s run continues in 2023.
Samsung’s 2022 season was not a sweet season. In the middle of the season, the team lost 13 consecutive losses, the most ever, and coach 안전놀이터 Heo Sam-young resigned, and walked the path of hardship, and the team ranking also failed to rebound and finished the season in 7th place.
But there was no harvest. The appearance of outfielder Kim Hyun-joon, who brilliantly filled the void of ‘6 billion free agent’ Park Hae-min, was a happiness for Samsung fans. All Samsung fans cheered at the appearance of a new blue blood, who would be responsible for the team’s leadoff and center fielder position left by a transfer student from the national university.
2021 KBO Draft 2nd Round 9th Overall 83rd Rank. As you can see from the nomination list, at the time of nomination, he was not a player who received much attention and joined. In the 2021 season, his debut season, he only had a batting average of 0.250 and 1 hit in 13 appearances.
The 2022 season definitely proved who he is. He was not included in the roster at the time of the opening, but he did not miss the opportunity that came his way. He entered the first team due to injuries to his older brothers, and at that time he clearly showed his presence.
In the 2022 season, his first full-time season, he played 118 games and recorded a batting average of 0.275, 100 hits, 22 RBIs, 57 runs and an on-base percentage of 0.365, making a big success as Samsung’s leadoff.
In particular, he wrote a great record. On July 10, 2022, he hit against SSG Landers, surpassing the 19-game hits of “Lion King” Lee Seung-yeop (Doosan Bears coach) and setting a new record for 21 consecutive hits under the age of 19.
He also had good defense. It was not easy to completely fill the void of Park Hae-min, who has the best defense in the KBO, but it was positive that he showed Ho-bi several times to run hard and catch the ball.
Former Samsung coach Heo Sam-young said, “Kim Hyeon-joon has an extraordinary vision. He has a good eye and is good at handling breaking balls. He has a hitting balance here, so he has no choice but to do well.”
Of course, Kim Hyun-jun is still a young player. He tasted the sweetness, but he also tasted the bitterness. He had a high 0.314 batting average in the first half, but a low 0.239 in the second half. He had more at bats than in the first half (202 in the first half, 220 in the second half), but fewer hits than in the first half (55 in the first half, 45 in the second half). He also felt the bitterness of his professionalism as his batting average plummeted to 0.152 in August. In mid-August, Park Jin-man, acting manager at the time, was Kim Hyun-joon, who was excluded from the first team and gave him a break.
For Kim Hyun-jun, the 2022 season was a season in which he felt, learned, and experienced many things.
Kim Hyun-joon’s sprint continues in the 2023 season. From now on, the real fight begins. He has to overcome the check of the opponent’s battery, which will be fiercer than last year. He doesn’t take credit for doing well once in the professional world. It takes consistency to show that his performance in the 2022 season is not sparkling.
If the performance of the 2022 season continues in the 2023 season, Kim Hyun-joon will open the flowers. In 2023, the Hangzhou Asian Games and the Asian Professional Baseball Championship (APBC), which were not held in 2022, will be held. Since both tournaments have age restrictions, Kim Hyun-joon, who is still only 20 years old, has a chance.
Kim Hyun-joon, who was Samsung’s top hit product in 2022, will his run continue in 2023? All Samsung fans are looking forward to it.