“I especially thank Jae-won. Because he supports me from behind…”
The main player crucial to the Hanwha Eagles' solo first place in professional baseball is starting catcher Choi Jae-hun (36). Although he is relatively overshadowed this year with many hot players on Hanwha, he is quietly achieving career-high level performance.
While his performance with a batting average of .294 (35 hits in 119 at-bats), no home runs, and 14 RBIs is not particularly eye-catching, his on-base percentage combined with walks (24) and hit by pitches (12) totals 36, which is much higher than his strikeouts (20). Although he has not met the required number of at-bats, an on-base percentage of .447 and an OPS of .792 are all personal bests. His adjusted runs created (wRC+) is an impressive 147.9, far exceeding his personal best record of 124.9 in 2021.
As shown by his career on-base percentage (.366), Choi Jae-hun has good plate discipline, which has been particularly strong this year. He has the highest on-base percentage among the 155 hitters with more than 50 plate appearances in the league. With an average of 4.2 pitches per plate appearance, he draws the most pitches from opposing pitchers among Hanwha hitters, and with a batting average of .357 (10 hits in 28 at-bats) with runners in scoring position, he is also strong in critical situations. His batting average in situations with a two-run deficit or less after the 7th inning is as high as .467 (7 hits in 15 at-bats), showcasing his high level of performance.
Regarding his performance, Choi Jae-hun said, “I have set my own standards, which has improved my on-base percentage,” adding, “Thanks to the manager who is managing my stamina, I especially thank Jae-won. It seems I am getting better because Jae-won supports me from behind. I feel sorry when I see Jae-won collapsed after the game. It would have been tough without Jae-won.” He expressed gratitude towards Lee Jae-won (37), who provides solid backup.
This year, Kim Kyung-moon, the Hanwha manager, has been appropriately alternating veteran catchers Choi Jae-hun and Lee Jae-won in the first team. Last month, Manager Kim stated, “(Choi) Jae-hun has become a warm and sincere catcher whom pitchers can comfortably approach. (Lee) Jae-won was originally an offensive catcher, and his throwing has improved. As a catcher, if footwork and throwing are done well, with the right know-how, one can continue for a long time,” adding, “We are using both while managing their stamina according to the starting pitcher. As a manager, I am very grateful to both catchers,” he expressed his strong trust.
Choi Jae-hun, who has been guarding Hanwha's home since 2017, has consistently played over 100 games as a starting catcher for eight consecutive years up until last year. Now a 36-year-old veteran, he is at a physical stage where stamina is crucial, but the experienced Lee Jae-won has come to Hanwha since last year, easing that burden. He is no longer burdened with covering nine innings alone, and on days when Lee Jae-won, who is the designated catcher for Ryan Weiss, takes the mound, Choi waits on the bench while recharging. Their defensive inning ratio is shared as 60:40 between Choi Jae-hun and Lee Jae-won.
Many Hanwha fans lament seeing Choi Jae-hun being replaced by a pinch runner in the middle of games. This is because of his outstanding offensive production. In response, Choi Jae-hun remarked, “This year, our team has had too many tight games. There are many scenarios where we need to score point by point, but if it is for the team, I don't mind being replaced early. The manager is managing stamina. Although I have improved my stamina by losing weight over the winter, there are times when I suddenly feel heavy and exhausted.” He stressed that managing is essential due to the physical toll on the catching position as one ages into the mid to late 30s, and Manager Kim Kyung-moon is actively using pinch runner cards to naturally manage the catchers’ stamina. This is a long-term strategy for the entire season.
Although Hanwha relies heavily on veteran catchers, there are young prospects like Heo In-seo (22) and Jang Gyu-hyun (23) waiting in the Futures team. Whenever the two players briefly come up to the first team and then go back down, Choi Jae-hun takes the time to personally pack their bags and send them off.
He stated, “Since our young catchers are growing, neither Jae-won nor I can be the starter forever. They are players who will eventually be responsible for the future of catching, and I also said that I would only be a starter a little longer so they can take over after me.” He smiled and added, “I understand that feeling since I was a backup for a long time. I might be able to be a backup for Heo In-seo. I think it wouldn’t be bad to support from behind later,” conveying encouraging words so the younger catchers who are in the second team do not lose motivation.
As the season has passed the halfway point with 72 out of 144 games played, Hanwha is holding onto first place. Leading the pitching staff with the league's highest earned run average of 3.43, Choi Jae-hun stated, “In the early part of the season, things weren't good, but I thought we could run because our pitchers are doing well. If our batters can score a little more and make it comfortable for the pitchers, we will become stronger,” emphasizing, “Although we are currently in first place, the season is not over yet. I do not think of being in first place and approach every day with the mindset of winning one game at a time. If we build up a plus margin, we can use that later. Right now, it's more important to continue to focus on winning one game at a time rather than just being in first place.”
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