Once regarded as a top prospect for the New York Yankees and having played 84 games in Major League Baseball, Esteban Florial (Hanwha Eagles). But why is he struggling in Korean baseball, which is rated several levels below Major League Baseball?

Esteban Florial, a foreign hitter for Hanwha, started as the second batter and center fielder in the second game of the season against Doosan Bears at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on the 9th, contributing to the team's 5-4 victory with 2 hits, 2 runs batted in, 2 walks, 1 run, and 1 stolen base in 3 at-bats.

In the first inning, after one out, Florial faced Doosan starter Cole Irvin and calmly drew a walk after a battle of 8 pitches. Soon after, Moon Hyun-bin was retired with a foul fly to the third baseman, but as the ball rose, Florial, who was heading to second base, noticed the catch being made and belatedly returned to first base. Florial turned back just before reaching second base and tried a head-first slide while sprinting, but he was helplessly tagged out at first.

In the third inning, Florial struck out against Cole Irvin's two-seamer but showcased a swing worthy of a top prospect from Major League Baseball in his third at-bat. In the fifth inning, trailing 1-3 with two outs and runners on first and second, he hit a two-RBI triple down the right-field line off Irvin's first pitch cutter. He then took responsibility for the go-ahead run on Moon Hyun-bin's perfectly placed bunt hit.

Florial did not stop there; in the seventh inning, he hit a single off Lee Byung-hun and stole second base, and in the eighth inning, with two outs and runners on second and third, he showed his prowess by drawing an automatic four-pitch walk.

After the game, Florial said, "I am very happy to win today. I did well, but everyone worked hard, and that allowed us to win." Regarding the secret to his game-tying triple, he replied, "I didn’t think too much at the plate and just focused on being aggressive."

Florial is a newly signed foreign hitter who joined Hanwha for a total of $850,000 (about 12 billion won) ahead of the season. Hanwha expressed high expectations at the time of signing, stating, "Florial was regarded as a top prospect after joining the New York Yankees in 2015. He made his Major League debut in 2020 and has a career batting average of .192 with 4 home runs and 22 runs batted in over 84 games spanning 5 seasons; in 9 seasons in the minor leagues, he had a batting average of .265 with 111 home runs, 415 runs batted in, an on-base percentage of .352, a slugging percentage of .456, and an OPS of .808."

However, contrary to expectations, Florial's early season was filled with hardships. He struggled to adjust to the KBO League, finishing the opening games with 0 hits in 17 at-bats, and finally reported his first hit on March 27 against the LG Twins at Jamsil but fell back into a hitless slump, dropping his season batting average to .130 as of April 4. There was also severe disappointment for Hanwha fans as he committed critical fielding errors and base-running mistakes during the games against Doosan on the 8th and 9th.

Florial pointed to the difference in pitch speed between Korea and the United States as a reason for his struggles. He explained, "Korean baseball is a bit different from the U.S. It is intense in both Major League Baseball and the KBO League, but the fastballs from American pitchers are faster."

Florial is gradually showing signs of a rebound, starting with a multi-hit game, including a double against the Samsung Lions on the 5th. He added two consecutive multi-hit games on the 8th and 9th, bringing his batting average over the last four games to .353 (6 hits in 17 at-bats). His season batting average has now climbed to .179.

Florial stated, "I have not fully adjusted to Korean baseball yet, but I am getting better. I want to contribute a lot to the team’s victories. I will continue to be a player who helps the team's victories like today."

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