The NC Dinos of the Korea Professional Baseball (KBO) have suffered injuries to three catchers in a row. While the series of injuries in a specialized position is challenging, the moment has become an opportunity for someone. NC's 5th-year unknown catcher Kim Jeong-ho (27) seized the suddenly available chance and recorded his first hit and multi-hit in his debut.

Currently, the starting catcher, Kim Hyeong-jun, is not on the 1st-team roster. On the 23rd of last month, he sustained an injury to his left pinky finger after being hit by a pitch from the opposing pitcher Choi Ji-gang during a game against Doosan at Jamsil. He was diagnosed with needing about two weeks for recovery and is currently under observation in the rehabilitation group. Since it’s the hand that needs to catch the ball, we need to be cautious.

After Kim Hyeong-jun went down, the starting catcher wearing the mask, Park Se-hyeok, also complained of sudden back pain during practice ahead of the game against Hanwha on the 30th of last month and was removed from the roster. He was originally included in the starting lineup, but an unexpected variable arose, and the catcher Kim Jeong-ho, who was on the 2nd team as a developmental player, was immediately converted to a full player and called up to the 1st team.

Kim Jeong-ho, who was playing in a Futures League game against Samsung at Masan Baseball Stadium next to Changwon NC Park, saw his jersey number change immediately from 105 to 42 on that day. In the 6th inning, he replaced the defensive player and made his 1st-team debut, experiencing his first at-bat in the 8th inning, where he struck out swinging against Han Seung-hyeok.

The next day, on the 31st, another opportunity came for Kim Jeong-ho. The starting catcher Ahn Jung-yeol was replaced after being hit on the left wrist by a pitch from Eom Sang-baek in the 4th inning, leading to Kim Jeong-ho being put in as a pinch runner. From the 5th inning onwards, with the mask on, Kim Jeong-ho also showed presence in batting.

In the 6th inning with two outs and no runners on base, he pulled a slider on the second pitch from Ju Hyun-sang for his first professional debut hit, a single to left field. As a leadoff batter in the 9th, he connected with a first pitch fastball traveling at 155 km/h from Hanwha's star closer Kim Seo-hyeon, leading to another single to left field, achieving a multi-hit performance. Although they were trailing 3-9, these hits played a role in bringing the team closer as they added 3 runs, continuing to pressure Kim Seo-hyeon until the end.

Catcher Kim Jeong-ho, who graduated from Pohang Steel High School and Sungkyunkwan University, joined the NC Dinos as the 76th overall pick in the 8th round of the 2021 draft. Until this year, he had played a total of 120 games in the Futures League over four seasons but had no records in the 1st team. However, he was preparing as the team's fourth catcher since the spring camp. According to Kim Jong-min, the NC battery coach, he brought energy to the team through his training attitude since the camp. His receiving and blocking skills are stable, and he has received good evaluations on his reactions to the pitches thrown by the pitchers. Whenever he's given a task, he's also assessed his strengths and weaknesses objectively and played the role of the atmosphere maker within the team.

He quietly prepared while waiting for the right moment, and in a surprising situation where three catchers were injured in succession, Kim Jeong-ho made his presence felt. Regarding his call-up to the 1st team, Kim Jeong-ho said, “I heard the news during a Futures game. I was a bit flustered and surprised. I thought I needed to quickly pack my things and move over. I didn’t even have the time to feel happiness. Even though it’s right next to me, commuting to NC Park feels both nostalgic and exciting.”

He continued, “What I can contribute to the team is the defensive aspect. During the spring camp, I tried to show my strengths in defense during training like the 청백전. The coaches, including the manager, seem to have viewed that positively.” He added about his strengths, “I don’t make many careless mistakes. I’m also confident in receiving and blocking. While I frequently caught runners stealing in the 2nd team, in the 1st team, there are faster base runners, so I need to read the game flow and prepare well accordingly.”

Finally, Kim Jeong-ho expressed, “I want to be a mood maker for the team. When I’m in the game, I want to change the atmosphere and create a lively baseball park. I want to feel team victories rather than personal records. While doing well personally is important, I want to see the team win.”

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