Byun Woo-hyeok (23) left Hanwha with a trade in November last year and moved to KIA. The KIA sent right-handed fireballer Han Seung-hyuk and pitcher Jang Ji-soo to Hanwha to bring the incomplete giant.
Byun Woo-hyuk joined Hanwha after receiving the first nomination in 2019. He was highly anticipated and quickly returned to the army after playing his first season as a pro. He could not show much activity due to an injury last year when he returned from the Sangmu baseball team.
A trade can be a turning point. KIA brought in Byun Woo-hyuk because they needed a right-handed gun, and they plan to develop it by giving them a chance right away this year. A 23-year-old prospect who has completed his military service, has much more time ahead than in the past four years.
After returning to Korea on the 26th after completing the first spring camp in the United States, Byun Woo-hyeok was asked about his impressions of the camp in the new team. There was no such thing,” he said.
“During the first camp, I had a lot of training, so I thought it would be nice if I didn’t get sick. He took good care of me in the training part, and the coaches and coaches took good care of me, so I did well without any major problems.”
After the trade, it’s getting a lot of attention. Byun Woo-hyuk said, “I definitely feel more responsible, and I feel like I’m getting better every year, so I want to say that I am always confident in what the club and fans expect. And we are working harder to live up to expectations,” he said confidently.
In the first year of his debut in 2019, he played 29 games in the first team with a batting average of 2.26 (12 hits in 53 at-bats) and 1 home run OPS. .
He couldn’t show anything at Hanwha until last year. He asked how to diagnose the cause himself. Byun Woo-hyuk said, “When I was a rookie in my 20s, I didn’t really know how to look and just bumped into each other. As a result, it seems that it did not go well, and he was able to play baseball for two years in the military (Sangmu baseball team), so he made sure to set his own direction while trying this and that.”
He continued, “Last year, compared to the number of at-bats, the pace and long hits were good. I thought it was very good from the camp and the practice game, but if there were no injuries, I would have received more opportunities last year. Due to injury, his first-team spell lasted just over 40 days between mid-June and mid-July.
No matter how talented and good a player is, there is no business in front of an injury. Byun Woo-hyeok paid more attention to his injury prevention in off-season training last winter after his trade.
Byun Woo-hyuk said, “Last winter, I went to a rehabilitation center separately for the first time, focusing on not hurting and exercising. When he went to the US camp, he said, “I think I was able to not get sick thanks to the coaches, coaches, and the training part that I paid too much attention to.”
Last year he had a serious back injury. He said, “I’m fine now. He said, “I am in a good condition,” and said, “After coming to KIA and receiving hospital treatment and treatment, I improved a lot. Senior Choi Hyeong-woo and Senior Lee Chang-jin talked a lot about my waist and cared about it a lot.” 안전놀이터
KIA expects Byun Woo-hyuk’s Geopo ability. 1st base, 3rd base, and designated hitter positions are available, but the competition within the team is fierce.
Byun Woo-hyuk said, “I’m used to third base, but I’ve been playing a lot lately at first base. He doesn’t really care. He thinks they are all the same. If you are a professional player, you should take competition for granted, and if you try to win in that competition, we can all get good results and the team will improve,” he said. Then he thinks it’s the stability of the defense. When he hits the ball, it goes far, so he puts a lot of effort into hitting it right. He expressed his determination, saying, “I am practicing a lot with coach Lee Beom-ho to see if he can send it far with light and little force.”
