Kiwoom’s outfield is expected to compete fiercely with existing resources for the remaining one spot, with Lee Jeong-hoo and Lee Hyung-jong as the built-in starters this season. There are Kim Jun-wan, Lim Ji-yeol, and veteran Lee Yong-gyu, who performed impressively in the postseason last fall.
Here, young blood, aka ‘Park Brothers’, struggled side by side in Geelong Korea. Park Joo-hong, the 1st nominee in 2020, and Park Chan-hyuk, 6th in the 2nd round 2022, are the main characters. Both could become regular starters early on, but couldn’t get over the hump.
Park Joo-hong has been steadily seizing opportunities for the past three years, but has not been able to save them. His hitting potential is still among the top among hitters of his age who have joined recently. Batting average 0.183, 7 RBIs, 8 runs, OPS 0.532 in 57 games in the first team. The club hoped to develop into a left-handed hitter with one shot, but his performance over the past three years has been below expectations.
Park Chan-hyeok’s injury was regrettable. During the month of April, he hit 5 home runs, and on May 4, he hit 6 home runs against KIA. He led the Rookie of the Year race by this time. It was understandable that he lost his pace after that, but he injured his shoulder during defensive training after joining the first team in the Busan expedition at the end of the first half. He crashed into the fence at Sajik Stadium. In fact he was not even registered with the first team. He returned at the end of July, but was unable to regain his early season upturn and the season was also over.
The young Park Brothers nurture a new hope in Australia. He is reorganizing his baseball life at Geelong Korea. Park Joo-hong recorded a batting average of 0.279, 3 home runs and 13 RBIs in 22 games. He is in the ok with 12 walks and 27 strikeouts, but his OPS is good at 0.902.
Park Chan-hyuk is not good with a batting average of 0.180, 2 homers, 7 RBIs and an OPS of 0.582 in 19 games. However, on the 13th, he started as the 7th hitter against Tuatara in Auckland, and it was good with 2 hits in 4 at-bats. It is much more important to establish one’s own batting direction and process in the long term than simply the figures in the Australian league. It is a precious time for Park Joo-hong and Park Chan-hyuk.
Park Ju-hong and Park Chan-hyuk have been classified as outfield left-handed and right-handed core prospect hitters for a long time. He could be with Lee Jung-hoo and Lee Hyeong-jong right away this season. Moreover, Lee Jung-hoo leaves for the major leagues at the end of this season and may not return to Kiwoom.
For Park Joo-hong and Park Chan-hyuk, this season is a golden opportunity to see and feel everything from the KBO League’s top hitter right next to them. With Kiwoom, we have to prepare for the era without Lee Jung-hoo anyway, so we need young players to naturally form the main axis just like the infield in the outfield.