Professional baseball player Ahn Hyun-min (22) of KT Wiz reached his first 10 home runs in his debut. He hit 10 home runs in just 31 games, signaling the birth of a monstrous hitter.
Ahn Hyun-min led KT to a 7-0 victory while recording 10 home runs in 31 games by starting as the third hitter and right fielder in the away game against Hanwha in the 2025 Shinhanchan SOL Bank KBO League at Daejeon Hanwha Life Eagles Park on the 5th. He had 4 at-bats, 3 hits, 3 RBIs, and 1 walk, including a decisive home run in the first inning.
From the first at-bat in the first inning, Ahn Hyun-min's bat set fire. With two outs and no runners on base, he hit a home run off Hanwha's starter Ryu Hyun-jin. After a full count, he hit a low inside fastball at 148 km/h for a solo shot to left field. The moment it hit, he sensed it would be a home run, with a distance of 125 meters, marking his 10th home run of the season. It was the moment he achieved double-digit home runs in his debut.
It feels like just yesterday when he hit his first home run of the season, and suddenly he surpassed 10. The two-run homer in the 9th inning against Doosan on the 1st of last month marked the beginning of monstrous hitter Ahn Hyun-min. He left a strong impression by hitting a two-run home run with a distance of 130 meters after a 10-pitch duel with last year's Rookie of the Year, Doosan's closer Kim Taek-yeon. In just over a month, he recorded 10 home runs by the game against Hanwha on the 5th.
Continuing the momentum, Ahn Hyun-min targeted Ryu Hyun-jin again during the 3rd inning with one out and runners on first and third. He connected with a low dropping curveball on the fourth pitch for a hit in front of the left fielder, driving in the runner from third base. He hit Ryu Hyun-jin's fastball and breaking ball with perfect timing.
In the 4th inning with two outs and bases loaded, Ryu Hyun-jin felt discomfort in his left adductor after throwing his first pitch and was replaced. Against the new pitcher Cho Dong-uk, Ahn Hyun-min was out on a fly ball to right field, but in the 6th inning, he got a hit off Cho Dong-uk. He connected with a slider on the fourth pitch, passing it by the pitcher into a hit in front of the center fielder.
In the 7th inning with two outs and bases loaded, Ahn Hyun-min showed good plate discipline by drawing a bases-loaded walk against Jeong Woo-joo after five pitches. He recorded 3 hits, including a home run, and reached base 4 times, accumulating 3 RBIs. Ahn Hyun-min also hit a 1-RBI triple against Hanwha's ace closer Kim Seo-hyeon in the 9th inning with two outs in the previous day’s game (the 4th). He showcased incredible power by driving a line drive that went over the center fielder's head, hitting a low changeup on the fourth pitch from Kim Seo-hyeon.
As of this day, Ahn Hyun-min has a batting average of .325 (40 hits in 123 at-bats), with 10 home runs and 34 RBIs in 33 games this season. Among 105 batters with over 100 at-bats, he ranks 1st in slugging percentage and OPS, and 8th in batting average and on-base percentage. Just before the season started, he was the 5th outfielder in the team’s backup list and didn't even make the opening roster, but his potential was unleashed after being called up to the first team in late April.
With a muscular build reminiscent of a terminator, his power is extraordinary, but his contact and plate discipline are strong, so his bat doesn't swing easily. Even with a pitch that would typically lead to a swing and a miss on a low outside pitch, he makes contact, creating balls in play. With 14 walks and 22 strikeouts, his walk-to-strikeout ratio is commendable, so he doesn't come off as a 'free-swinger'. This is the reason his current performance doesn't seem like a flash in the pan.
Not only is he good at hitting, but he also excels in defense and base running. In the game against Hanwha on the 4th, he made a sliding catch to prevent a run on Lee Do-yoon's deep line drive in the 5th inning, just in front of the warning track. With a wide-ranging defense and speed that enables him to produce 2-3 base hits, the label 'Korean version of Mike Trout (LA Angels)' fits him well.
After the game on the 5th, Ahn Hyun-min said, "I couldn’t help but pay attention to the 10 home runs, but I’m glad I could record it quickly" and added, "My first goal aside from playing in the first team was to achieve 10 home runs, and I’m happy to have accomplished that. I want to keep hitting as many hits and home runs as possible without being satisfied."
Since the first game of the doubleheader against LG on the 17th of last month until the 28th against Doosan, there was a span of 10 games without a home run. The opposing teams gave him good pitches and kept him in check, but he managed to maintain his tempo without getting swept away and quickly rebounded. Ahn Hyun-min expressed gratitude, saying, "Although the recent results were not good, when I spoke with the coaches, it wasn't a condition issue. My hitting had dropped slightly compared to before, and as the team faced a losing streak, it seems I felt some psychological pressure. But since those around me told me to relax, I followed that advice, and it resulted in good outcomes."
[OSEN]