[OSNE=Lee Seon-ho] Will he seize the opportunity for a long-awaited debut in the first team?
KIA Tigers right-hander Hong Won-bin (25) is making a strong showing as a formidable closer in the Futures League. As of the 21st, he has appeared in 12 games, pitching 11⅔ innings. He has achieved 3 wins, 1 loss, 3 saves, and has an earned run average of 1.54. He is confidently leading the Southern League in saves. He could not rank in ERA as he has not met the required innings. His top speed in the second team reached 154 km/h.
He struggled early in the season, allowing runs in two consecutive games. On March 16, against Hanwha, he pitched ⅔ innings and allowed 4 runs (1 earned), and on March 20, he pitched 1 inning and allowed 1 run (earned). However, he has since gone on a streak of 10 consecutive scoreless games. Leveraging his signature fastball, he has been eliminating innings one by one. In April, he became an untouchable pitcher, allowing only 1 hit in 6 games.
He recorded 11 strikeouts over 11⅔ innings pitched. However, the 10 walks and 3 hit batters he recorded are concerning factors. Nonetheless, the fact that he has demonstrated stability on the mound and is progressing is a positive aspect. Approaching his 7th year since debuting, he is taking steps towards a long-awaited debut in the first team.
His determination to prepare for this year was extraordinary. Although he was selected in the second round in 2019, he hasn't made his first-team debut in six years. With the mindset that this is his last chance, he sweated it out at a training center for the Oakland Athletics in the United States during the offseason. He invested 15 million won of his own money, which is half of his salary of 30 million won this year.
This year, he gained attention at the Okinawa spring camp. He started out in the Kochi second-team camp, where he threw a scorching fastball clocked at 153 km/h during bullpen sessions. He received praise for improving his control and was immediately called up to the second Okinawa camp. With his tall stature (193 cm) and long hair flowing, he threw at a speed of 154 km/h.
Immediately, manager Lee Beom-ho, the coaching staff, and his teammates all praised him, saying, "His stuff is phenomenal." Due to nerves, he managed only one out in his first game on the mound and made a throwing error. Still, he recognized his potential, throwing pitches at 150 km/h. He showed his true value in the exhibition games, keeping NC scoreless for an inning while throwing 154 km/h fastballs. As a development player, he can be registered in the first team from May, and he started the season with the Futures team. He has promised to enhance his defensive skills and refine his control.
In a camp interview, Hong Won-bin expressed, "Being the first pick in the second round, the pressure of not debuting was significant. I thought of this as my last chance, so I went to the United States. I really want to debut. I think about it desperately every day. It’s heartbreaking. It’s my wish," revealing his urgency. He expressed a strong will to definitely rise to the first team this year. The long-awaited month of May is approaching. Even if it is not immediate, the performance he shows in the second team is increasingly raising the possibility of a debut stage being prepared.