KBO League infielder Kim Hye-sung (24, Kiwoom Heroes) has taken another step forward in his development, and he’s made up for his lack of power.
With two more hits against the NC Dinos on April 4, Kim became the first player in 10 clubs to reach the 100-hit plateau this season. She leads the league in hits and ranks second in batting average (.328).
Kim hit .304 in 2021 and .318 in 2022. She won the Golden Glove (shortstop-2nd base) for the second year in a row, thanks to her ability to make great contact.
Her power has improved this season. As of April 4, Kim had a .456 on-base percentage in 77 games played. Her 18 doubles are tied for fifth on the team. In the same number of games last season (2022), she hit .357 with seven doubles.
Hye-sung’s previous career high is a .403 average with one season left in 2022. This season, she is on pace for a career-high. She also has five home runs, approaching her previous career high (seven in 2022).
After winning the Golden Glove for second baseman last December, Kim said, “I had a good season, but my batting average (0.403) was disappointing. I want to hit more long balls in the 2023 season,” she said. The first half of the year saw me cruising towards my goals.
The hard work he’s put into his body has paid off with improved power this season. Kim, who was selected by Kiwoom in the first round of the 2017 Secondary Rookie Draft, had a role model as a rookie in Kim Hae-sung (San Diego Padres), who was a teammate and recognized as a long-hitting infielder.
She realized the importance of weight training and taking care of her body by watching him work out, and in 2017, after a long stay with the Futures (second team), she learned the right way to work out from Yang Sang-bong, the current head of the Kiwoom trainer team. She took her time and built a solid body. Kim’s physique is somewhat on the skinny side, but her strength is one of the best on the team.
Even during the regular season, Kim doesn’t neglect weight training. “The intensity varies depending on my physical condition, but I think doing strength training regularly helps me stay in shape,” she says.
She also follows a strict diet. She stays away from soda, iced drinks, chicken, and ramen. He also doesn’t skip meals when he doesn’t have an appetite to prevent weight loss. “She’s still a young player, but she has a lot to learn from,” said Kium coach Hong Won-ki, admiring her self-care.안전놀이터
Kim was selected to the Korean national team for the World Baseball Classic (WBC) in March, but only got two at-bats behind major leaguer Tommy Edmon (St. Louis Cardinals). Kim was also named to the team for the Hangzhou Asian Games, which was announced last month, and will be looking to redeem Korean baseball’s reputation after a poor showing at the WBC. A potential starting second baseman. If he can showcase his improved long ball on the international stage, his value could be even higher.
Kiwoom will need to prepare for the departure of their top hitter Lee Jung-hoo to Major League Baseball (MLB). Kim Hye-sung is Kiwoom’s top non-free agent multi-year signing candidate.