Kim Hyun-jong started as center fielder for the fifth batter of the away uniform team at Scottsdale Indian School Park in Arizona on the 25th (Korea time) and recorded one hit in two at-bats, including a triple. He hit a triple against Lee Jong-joon in the batter’s box that cut through the left-center, and caught a hit that went over Moon Sung-joo’s head in the bottom of the second inning in the defense. The home uniform team focused on the main players and the away uniform team focused on the backup, played five innings of blue and white, and the game ended in a 2-2 draw.
Usually, he doesn’t hide his excitement after hitting a triple in his first real game. This is especially true for rookies. However, Kim seemed to have erased the triple in his mind earlier.
After the match against Cheongbaek, he said, “The batting is definitely different. I thought it could be just a catch, but it felt like I was continuously hitting the ball. I’ve never seen a left-handed batter hit this long. I definitely feel that it is different from what I was in high school in many areas.”
Regarding the triple that Lee made against him, Lee said, “I am confident in my ability to drive. When I was in high school, I used to watch as far as third base when I hit left-center or right-center. My coach told me to play aggressively, so I aimed for third base as well.”
That’s the end of the talk about his performance. Kim emphasized that throughout the camp, he felt how much he lacked and how great his seniors were.
“It was my first time to see Park Hae-min practicing defense up close. I was just amazed the whole time,” he said. “Actually, I was confident in following the left and right pitches when I was playing defense. However, seeing Hae-min play was totally different from me. He takes a leisurely, comfortable turn and catches the ball without losing sight of it.”
What was more surprising than his skills was the amount of training. Kim Hyun-jong said, “They are seniors who train much more than young players. They also have a clear routine. They are learning a lot inside baseball, but they are also learning a lot outside baseball. This is really a professional player. That’s why I constantly feel that I won last year’s championship.”
Besides Park Hae-min, Kim Hyun-soo and Hong Chang-ki are also seniors who surprised Kim Hyun-jong. “Hyun-soo’s batting is different. It seems like he is just hitting, but it flies really fast. Chang-ki’s batting direction is accurate from the training. I feel like I am training with elaborate plans. The seniors who are new to the team plan thoroughly and train the most. I learn a lot every day during the camp,” Kim said.
Of course, I can’t just watch and watch. I train myself by asking questions as much as I see and feel. “My seniors told me to ask them whenever I want, so I am constantly asking questions,” Kim said. “Honestly, I have never trained this much. I didn’t think that the timing was right for me because I couldn’t do it in winter. That was not the case. I couldn’t do it because I trained less,” Kim said when facing a new world.
When leaving Incheon International Airport, Kim set his sights on the opening entry. When asked if the goal is still valid, he replied, “My goal is the same now. I will do my best to show what I can. My bigger goal now is to show my best efforts before the opening entry.”
Kaydence Hodge