"I feel a sense of intimidation."

On the 23rd, a Futures League game was held between the Kia Tigers and the Samsung Lions at Hamyang-Kia Challenger's Field 2. With a score of 6-5 in the first game of the doubleheader, Kia's closer Hong Won-bin appeared. He took the mound with his long hair flowing, striking out the first batter, allowing the second to reach base on a first-base error, but inducing a double play to finish the game.

It was his fourth save of the season. He threw a maximum 154 km/h pitch. A sharp slider also resulted in a swing-and-miss strikeout, and he induced two ground balls with his two-seamer. His command was also decent. With an overwhelming physical presence at 195 cm and 101 kg, his dominant pitches instilled a sense of intimidation. He has recorded 3 wins, 1 loss, and 4 saves with an earned run average of 1.42 over 12⅔ innings in 13 games this year. He has not allowed a run in his last 11 games.

Those watching Hong Won-bin now all say the same. Pointing to the netting behind the catcher, they note, "The kid who threw the ball over there has changed so much. After investing seven years, it’s now a fitting time." Jin Gap-yong, the second-team manager, also said, "His grip is good. I'm intentionally putting him in many crisis situations. He has improved a lot," and praised him.

He was a promising player picked in the second round of the 2019 draft (10th overall), but he did not gain much attention. Until last year, he had not made his first-team debut and had only played 31 games in the second team. Command was an issue. He would not calm down when taking the mound. It was even messier when there were runners on base. After six years of military service, he felt a sense of crisis that he might not be able to play baseball anymore, and he sought out a training center in the United States last January, spending 15 million won out of pocket.

Thanks to desperation and effort, a glimmer of hope began to shine. He started to command his pitches better while throwing at 154 km/h and improved his ability to use breaking balls. With a strong recommendation from Director Jin, he was called up from the second team to the first-team training camp in Okinawa in February and caught attention with his impressive pitches in practice and exhibition games. He primarily throws a powerful fastball, ground-ball-inducing two-seamer, and slider. With the season starting, he was selected as the closer for the second team and is sailing smoothly, with his dream of debuting in the first team nearing fruition.

After the game, Hong Won-bin said, "The highest speed in the second team was 154 km/h. I consistently hit 152, 153, and 154. Although this is my first time as a closer, I’m not particularly nervous or flustered. In the past, I used to feel anxious and worried before games. Now that I’m playing in the closer role, I feel more relaxed on the mound. With runners on base, the difference has become less significant. As I developed the mentality of needing to win, I feel my command improving," he expressed confidently.

Notably, he received compliments from a friend saying he feels intimidation. Until last year, he was seen as an easy pitcher to face due to too many walks, but now he is evaluated as threatening. "Until last year, when facing batters, it felt like just standing still was enough (for walks). This year, I heard from my friend Jang Chang-hun on NC that he felt intimidation, which boosted my confidence," he laughed.

The key to the transformation was the training center in the United States. "I have a personality that doesn’t allow me to stay still. I kept training without a day off. I had a style of overworking my body. In the U.S., I simplified my routine. For example, 10 minutes of warm-up, 10 minutes of throwing, and 10 minutes of finishing exercises. I hope to continue this simple routine healthily and finish well," he wished.

From May, he will be eligible for first-team registration, opening the possibility of debuting after seven years. "Until last year, even I thought I wouldn't be able to play. Now, I'm being used in situations where we're winning, so my expectations are greater than my anxieties. People around me joke that I should be ready to come up in May. Although making my first-team debut is a significant goal, I’m already very happy. I think I will be happy just to train like this for a year without any injuries," he concluded the interview. His facial expression appeared the brightest since joining the team. He feels happiness as the frustrations of baseball are easing.

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