Lotte Giants player Na Seung-yeop (23) has remarkably improved his power hitting this season. Before May, he has already matched his home run total from last year. Lotte manager Kim Tae-hyung said, "Home runs are great," while noting that there is a "first thing" to watch for with Na Seung-yeop.

Na Seung-yeop hit a home run in the game against Kiwoom on the 30th. It was an impressive home run.

Na Seung-yeop hit a two-run home run that went over the right field fence against Kiwoom's Kim Sun-ki’s first pitch fastball (141 km) in the 4th inning with no outs and a runner on first, while trailing 0-1. It was his 7th home run of the season. The Lotte lineup ignited with Na Seung-yeop's home run, resulting in a big inning where they scored 7 runs in the 4th, changing the game's momentum.

Drafted 11th overall in the second round of the 2021 draft by Lotte, Na Seung-yeop played 60 games in the first team during his debut year. He enlisted in the military the following year, completed his service, and returned after the 2023 season.

Last year, he appeared in 121 games, recording a batting average of .312, 7 home runs, 66 RBIs, a slugging percentage of .469, and an OPS of .880. Na Seung-yeop is a gap power hitter rather than a slugger, hitting 35 doubles last year.

However, he has hit 7 home runs in just 32 games this season. When manager Kim Tae-hyung mentioned Na Seung-yeop's home run total before the game on the 1st at Gocheok Dome, he said, "He is a player who can hit that much, and that's what we're seeing now. Being conscious of power hitting can disrupt a player's swing or balance. Sometimes, when the score difference is large, you can see the player trying too hard. That’s something he needs to control well. He really needs to make it his own completely, but for now, our players tend to try too hard when the score difference is significant."

He also said, "Rather than focusing on power hitting, improving the batting average is more important right now. Home runs don't just come from hitting hard. It's important that he identifies something and makes it his own. He will get better gradually."

With 7 home runs in 32 games, he could logically surpass 20 home runs and aim for 30. Since Lee Dae-ho's 37 hits and Jeon Jun-woo's 33 hits in 2018, no one has hit 30 home runs for Lotte.

In response, manager Kim said, "Well, home runs are good. They can completely change the momentum of a game. However, I believe that for young players right now, having better technique to follow the ball is more important. I don’t know how they approach the batters' box, but the first thing is watching for that." He mentioned the importance of hitting accuracy. Na Seung-yeop exceeded a .300 batting average last year, but he is currently recording .286 this year. His batting form has been gradually improving.

Na Seung-yeop had a tendency to watch the ball too carefully last year. Manager Kim urged him to be more aggressive at the plate. Could his increase in home run numbers this year be a result of that aggressive approach?

Manager Kim explained, "Just because he is hitting aggressively doesn’t mean he swings at everything. It’s correct for him to define and hit good pitches that fit his swing. However, there are situations where the bench requires the bat to make contact with the ball. In such situations, whether it’s a runner on second or third base, it’s necessary to swing at similar pitches even if it’s not in his preferred zone."

In the game on the 1st, Na Seung-yeop hit a two-RBI single that went past third base with the bases loaded, and Lotte won 5-0. Na Seung-yeop subsequently recorded a total of 1 hit in 5 at-bats with 2 RBIs.

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