Kim Seo-hyun, '3rd year in Hanwha,' said, "I have a great sense of responsibility to do better this year...The goal is 20 holds"
Kim Seo-hyun, '3rd year in Hanwha,' said, "I have a great sense of responsibility to do better this year...The goal is 20 holds"
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Kim Seo-hyun (21) of the Hanwha Eagles is preparing for the season with different determination than before. Having grown into a decent first-team resource in his third year as a member of the team, Kim is committed to taking good care of his performance as well as his juniors.스포츠토토
Kim Seo-hyun, who was considered the best pitcher in Korea during his time at Seoul High School, was selected by Hanwha as the first overall pick in the first round of the 2023 KBO Rookie Draft.
With outstanding physical conditions of 188 centimeters and 91 kilograms, Hanwha received high expectations as it had fast and powerful fastballs in the mid-150 kilometers range. Hanwha gave Kim a down payment of 500 million won.
His first year was not that good. He made his debut save against the Incheon SSG Landers on May 12, but he moved to the second division due to poor control of his ball. His final performance in 2023 did not meet the expectations he received when he joined the team, even considering his dismissal from his debut with a 7.25 ERA of one save in 22 ⅓ innings.
In his second year last year, he gradually began to reveal his potential. In the early days of the season, he suffered trials and errors due to frequent changes in his pitching form, but he improved as a must-winner after meeting with manager Kim Kyung-moon and pitching coach Yang Sang-moon to regain stability.
As a result, Kim improved to one win, two losses and 10 holds with an ERA of 3.76 in 37 games (38 ⅓ innings) in 2024. Kim Seo-hyun, who has been recognized for her performance, participated in the 2024 WBSC Premier 12 tournament.
South Korea failed to advance to the semifinals (Super Round), which was aimed at with three wins and two losses in the preliminary round, but Kim Seo-hyun proved his true value by pitching four scoreless innings in four games.
Kim Seo-hyun, who has overcome his ups and downs, is expected to play a full-time must-win group under the confidence of head coach Kim Kyung-moon in the 2025 season.
Kim Seo-hyun, who is feeling a different status, also feels a great sense of responsibility. "I don't think I am a clear winner yet. I need to do better this year to completely create my place," Kim said at the recent opening of Media Day.
Kim Seo-hyun's strength is his fastball. He also threw fastballs with speeds of 156 kilometers per hour at this year's exhibition game. However, this year, he plans to pay more attention to his control than to his speed.
Kim Seo-hyun said, "I'm a fast-binding pitcher, but if I stick to my speed, I may not be able to control my ball like I was when I was a rookie," adding, "Honestly, I think it's better to think less about my speed now and use my strength only when necessary while dealing with batters."
◇ Pitcher kingdoms such as Kim Seo-hyun, Hwang Jun-seo, and Jung Woo-ju…"Looking forward to autumn baseball."
Hanwha has many young capable pitchers. Hwang Jun-seo (20), Kim Seo-hyun's junior, and Jung Woo-joo (19), who was selected in the first round of the 2025 rookie draft, are expected to receive promising posts.
Kim Seo-hyun, who is already under the age of two, said, "Actually, I still feel like the youngest. But now I have to set an example first," and showed sincerity, saying, "I want to lead as a senior so that my juniors can learn."
Kim Seo-hyun's goal this year is to make 20 holds, 10 more than the number he recorded last year. If he plays well, chances are high that his team will make the postseason.
"I haven't played a full season yet. I want to play full time as a first-team player this year," Kim Seo-hyun said. "I need to be more helpful to my team somehow. I want to establish myself as a must-win group, and my team to play fall baseball as well."