All of the mistakes, expenses, and walks were valuable experiences that money couldn’t buy. KT rookie infielder Yoo Hyeon-in (23) decorated an unforgettable page in his career with the national superstars.
The Korean WBC baseball team, led by coach Lee Kang-cheol, had its first evaluation match against the NC Dinos at the main stadium of Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Arizona on the 17th (hereafter Korean time).
In pre-game training, two young players wearing KT Wiz spring camp training clothes stood out among the national team fielders. Infielder Son Min-seok and 7th round infielder Yoo Hyeon-in, who were nominated in the 3rd round by KT in the KBO rookie draft held last year, were the main characters. Before they even debuted in the first team스포츠토토, they enjoyed the benefit of digesting batting and defense training with seniors like Gi Ra-seong.
If so, why did they train and play with the national team players? In Korea, the keystone combination of Kim Ha-seong (San Diego Padres) and Tommy Edman (St. Louis Cardinals) is holding a spring camp for a major league team, so there are only five infielders: Choi Jeong, Kim Hye-seong, Oh Ji-hwan, Park Byung-ho, and Kang Baek-ho. Accordingly, on the 17th, which was a training break, KT requested the dispatch of fielders.
The three players, wearing national team uniforms without uniform numbers, played side by side as substitutes in the second half and matched with the national team players. Ryu Hyun-in, from the JTBC baseball entertainment program ‘Strongest Baseball’, went back and forth between heaven and hell. He played as a substitute at third base and made an error in the fourth inning when he threw first base to second base safely, but was later praised for his diving catch handling of straight hits. Recorded a walk at bat. Kang Hyeon-woo also contributed to the national team’s 8-2 victory by hitting a double against NC.
After the match, national team coach Lee Kang-cheol said, “There is no opportunity to be with such good players. The part where I think positively is that I take a picture with my idol on this opportunity, exercise together, and eat together, which motivates me. You may think that you want to become a national team player. I think it’s very good,” he said with a proud smile.
Kim Ha-seong and Edman are expected to join the national team only after training at the Gocheok Dome in early March. Accordingly, Kang-Cheol Lee plans to bring an infielder or catcher to the KBO league professional team for each practice game at the spring camp in Tucson, Arizona. In the next practice game against KIA, attention is focused on which player will build unforgettable memories with the national team players.