Kim Hyun-soo (35, LG Twins) is a regular member of the national baseball team. He is virtually attending international competitions.
Kim Hyun-soo was included in the final 30-man entry for the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) announced on the 4th. Through this tournament, he became the 10th individual to wear the Taegeuk mark.
The 2008 Beijing Olympics was the first time Kim Hyun-soo and his national team met. Kim Hyun-soo, who joined the national team at the request of head coach Kim Gyeong-moon, who was the coach of the Doosan Bears and the national team commander at the time, made a splendid debut on the international stage with a pinch-hit final against Japan. Starting with the 2008 Beijing Olympic gold medal legend, the 2009 WBC semifinals, and the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games (AG) gold medal honors together. He also played an active role as a key player in the 2013 WBC and the 2014 Incheon Asian Games, where he was eliminated in the first round.
Kim Hyun-soo recorded a batting average of 0.333 and 13 RBIs in a total of 8 games in the 2015 Premier 12, where he won the first championship, and was selected as the MVP of the tournament. Based on his performance at this time, in December 2015, he signed a contract with the Baltimore Orioles of the US Major League for a total of 7 million dollars (8.7 billion won) for 2 years and succeeded in advancing into the big leagues.
The 2017 WBC is the only time Kim Hyun-soo failed to compete in an adult international competition after his professional debut. It was because Baltimore, the team at the time, opposed Kim Hyun-soo’s selection of the national team. Kim Hyun-soo is returning to the national team after wearing the LG Twins uniform in 2018. Starting with the 2018 Jakarta Palembang AG, he participated in the 2019 Premier 12 and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Being selected in many international competitions means that your skills have been recognized. Kim Hyun-soo holds the record for the most appearances먹튀검증 (59 games) and the most hits (76) for the Korean national baseball team. He could further extend his record with an individual 10th WBC. Wearing the national team uniform, he recorded a batting average of 0.362 (KBO career batting average of 0.316), and even earned the pleasant nickname of ‘international hitter’.
Thanks to his participation in many international competitions, Kim Hyun-soo was able to reacquire his FA qualification a year earlier in accordance with the national team reward point system. He has so far participated in the Olympics (2 times), AG (3 times), WBC (2 times), and Premier 12 (2 times), and his award points easily exceed the 145 days required for one season.
Kim Hyun-soo is already looking at his late 30s. Through this WBC, she wants to turn the tears shed at the previous Tokyo Olympics into joy. Kim Hyun-soo flew with a batting average of 0.400, 3 home runs and 7 RBIs at the Tokyo Olympics. In the bronze medal match against the Dominican Republic, he hit a home run in the fourth inning. However, the national team ended up with a no-medal humiliation. Kim Hyun-soo, who was in charge of the claim, was even more disappointed. After losing in the match for 3rd and 4th place, he shed tears, saying, “I did my best and was really good to my juniors. I think I lost because I was not good enough.” I captained both the 2018 AG, which won the gold medal but had several controversies, and the 2019 Premier12, which ended up in runner-up, but the results were not always satisfactory.
Kim Hyun-soo has been somewhat stagnant with a batting average in the second half of the 20th consecutive KBO League regular season for the past two years. However, he has been showing off his power as a solver by recording 1st place in final strokes (19-17) for the last two years in a row.
He is expected to play a key role in this team as well. Including Kim Hyun-soo, five outfielders were selected: Lee Jung-hoo (Kiwoom Heroes), Na Seong-beom (KIA Tigers), Park Hae-min (LG), and Park Kun-woo (NC Dinos). Depending on the situation, you can play as a designated hitter or first baseman. Kim Hyun-soo will use his experience in this WBC tournament to restore his honor.