How much more will there be to show? An Hyun-min (KT Wiz), known as 'Korea's Trout,' showcased his remarkable ability by hitting his first career grand slam home run over the fence, leaving a strong impression once again.
On the 29th, An Hyun-min entered the 9th game of the season against the Doosan Bears at Suwon KT Wiz Park as the starting center fielder and delivered a one-man show with 5 at-bats, 3 hits (1 home run), 5 RBIs, and 1 run scored, leading the team to a 12-2 victory.
In the first inning, An Hyun-min warmed up with a double, then took a brief pause with a fly out to center field in the third inning and a swing and miss strikeout in the fourth inning. The highlight came in his fourth at-bat. With a 6-1 lead, he stepped up to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded in the fifth inning and hit his first career grand slam home run against Doosan veteran lefty Go Hyo-joon.
An Hyun-min, while in a disadvantageous count of 1 ball and 2 strikes, connected with a low slider (136 km/h) on his fourth pitch, marking his eighth home run of the season after 11 games since the first game of the doubleheader against the LG Twins on the 17th. He showcased incredible power by connecting with one hand and sending the ball over the left field fence.
An Hyun-min's bat did not stop. In the seventh inning, with a score of 10-2 and one out and runners on first and second, he hit a crucial right-field single for an RBI against Doosan's Kim Myung-sin, achieving 3 hits in a game for the first time in about three weeks since his 4-hit game against the Lotte Giants on the 10th. His five RBIs surpassed his previous record of four (in the game against the Kiwoom Heroes on the 4th), marking his personal best for RBIs in a game.
Since being called by manager Lee Kang-cheol on the 29th of last month, An Hyun-min's May performance has been extraordinary. After debuting in the first team last year with a total of 16 game appearances, he has played 27 games this season with a batting average of .333, 34 hits, 8 home runs, 29 RBIs, and 18 runs scored. He is recording an impressive slugging percentage of .676, an on-base percentage of .404, and an OPS of 1.080.
Among players who have entered the required number of plate appearances, only three batters exceed a slugging percentage of .600: Lewin Diaz (Samsung Lions), Choi Hyung-woo (KIA Tigers), and Austin Dean (LG Twins). Additionally, An Hyun-min is currently in third place for the monthly home runs in May, trailing Diaz (10) and Choi Jeong (SSG Landers, 9).
An Hyun-min, hailing from Masan High School, was a promising catcher drafted by KT in the second round, 38th overall, in the 2022 rookie draft. Known as a catcher who could steal bases during his amateur days, he showed off his speed and hitting power, but after turning pro, he switched to an outfielder to maximize his hitting. An Hyun-min enlisted for active service and attempted to transform into a 100kg muscle man, and his efforts are finally shining on the first team stage.
Thanks to his impressive performance in May, An Hyun-min has joined the competition for the Rookie of the Year in professional baseball. As of the morning of the 30th, he is in a two-way contest with Song Seung-gi (LG), who has recorded 5 wins and 3 losses with an earned run average of 2.83 in 10 games this season, as he keeps hitting home runs over the fence, leaving a strong impression. In his second year since debuting in the first team, An Hyun-min qualified for the Rookie of the Year award after appearing in only 16 games last year.
Moreover, manager Lee Kang-cheol recently joked, saying, 'At this rate, An Hyun-min might even go to the WBC.' Of course, there is still a long way to go before being selected for the adult national team, but it is not an insurmountable mountain. The South Korean national baseball team, currently undergoing a rebuilding process, is struggling with a shortage of native power hitters who can deliver substantial hits in critical moments, like Lee Seung-yeop, Lee Dae-ho, and Park Byung-ho in the past. If An Hyun-min can maintain his current form, wearing the Taeguk mark could become a reality rather than just a dream.
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