“I haven’t told the manager yet, only the head coach.”
Kiwoom Heroes Kim Gun-hee, 19, donned a Kiwoom uniform after graduating from Onyang Middle and Wonju University with the sixth pick in the first round of the 2023 KBO Rookie Draft. Kim, who was touted as a player who could play both pitcher and hitter, had the honor of playing both positions in his debut season. She was given a chance by Kiwoom coach Hong Won-ki.
However, his performance was not as good as he expected. As a pitcher, Kim went 3-0 with a 22.50 ERA in the first team and 2-1 with a 9.69 ERA in 14 games in the Futures League. As a hitter, he batted .182 with two doubles in nine games in the first team and .254 with 35 doubles, one home run, 19 RBI and 14 runs scored in 47 games in the Futures League.
Hong Won-ki had said that he would focus on hitting in the mid-to-late part of the season, but after the season ended, he worked on both pitching and hitting. Kim Gun-hee, however, will soon choose between pitching and hitting and focus on one or the other.
“I’m currently training for both positions, but I’m trying to find something that suits me rather than being greedy,” Kim said on June 6 at Kiwoom’s wrap-up camp at Taejang Baseball Stadium in Wonju, Gangwon-do. “It’s good to do both, but I don’t think I’m only doing what I’m good at.
“If I had to choose between pitching and hitting, I would lean towards pitching. I think I’m more competitive and confident when I’m on the mound, and I also have the mindset that I can get better with practice, but that’s just my opinion. I haven’t talked to the manager yet, just the head coach. I don’t think I’ll have any idea until next year’s spring training or next season.” 무지개토토 주소
What are the needs and strengths of pitcher Kim Gun-hee?
“The analytics team said that my vertical movement is good, and I can see that my velocity is increasing. What I need is my fastball. Even last year, I was throwing a lot of ball-ball balls when competing with hitters. I struggled because I couldn’t get my fastball down, so I think it’s important to have a good fastball.”
Last year, Kim was in the final camp as a rookie, but this year, he is in the final camp as a second-year senior facing juniors like Jeon Jun-pyo and Kim Yoon-ha.
“I think it’s most important not to get injured,” said Kim Gun-hee. “Last year, I was a rookie and didn’t know anything, but now I’m in my second year. Now that the juniors have come in, I’m trying to find my own way and take better care of myself.”