adminKT second-team outfielder Kim Byung-jun (20) sparked a ninth-round revolt at the Futures All-Star Game.
Kim Byung-jun started at first base for the Southern League All-Stars in the 2023 KBO Futures All-Star Game at Sajik Stadium in Busan on Thursday, going 1-for-4 with a home run, one RBI and one run scored, earning him the Outstanding Player Award.
After warming up with a walk in the first inning, Byung-jun recorded his first hit with an exquisite bunt single in the third inning, and then hit a game-winning double with two outs in the fourth inning to tie the game at 2-2.
Kim’s performance continued. Trailing 7-3 with one out in the seventh inning, he hit a triple to the back of the right field wall to set the stage for a four-run big inning. He later scored on a double by Cho Min-sung.
A home run was all that was needed to complete the cycle. Kim Byung-jun tried to break the record in the bottom of the eighth inning, trailing 7-9, but was thwarted when Choi Ji-kang flied out to shortstop on a wild pitch.
But it was enough to make his presence felt. For his MVP-caliber performance, Byung-jun was named the Outstanding Hitter and received a cash prize of 1 million won.
Kim is a left-handed hitting outfielder who was drafted by KT in the 9th round, 88th overall, in the 2022 KBO Draft out of Yusingo. He has yet to see a first-team at-bat, but after getting a taste of the pros in the Futures League last year when he batted 1-for-4 in 30 games, he finished the first half of the year with a respectable 2-for-9 with two home runs and 22 RBIs in 52 games. He was particularly hot in July, going 4-for-6 with 10 RBIs in eight games, and carried that momentum into the Futures All-Star Game.
Kim Byung-jun was a ninth-round pick who has been on Lee’s radar for a while now. “He has a solid swing mechanism of his own. He is characterized by a short, concise swing with little movement at the plate.” “On defense, he uses his quick feet to cover a lot of ground and make a lot of hustle plays. On the basepaths, he has good stealing starts and speed. His strengths include aggressive baserunning and sprinting.”메이저사이트
Kim Byung-jun, who has made a name for himself in just two years since joining the team, said through the club, “I am honored to play in the All-Star Game, one of the biggest festivals in the KBO. As a baseball player, I feel even better because it is the Futures All-Star Game, which I can only go to as a rookie.” He dreamed of spreading his wings in the first team, saying, “My final goal in baseball is to remain a player who is consistently good.”