It was a great rebellion of nurtured players from the independent league. Professional baseball player Park Chan-hyoung of the Lotte Giants rose to prominence as the most notable infielder in the first team just one month after signing a nurtured player contract.

On the 27th, Park Chan-hyoung appeared as a pinch hitter in the second inning against the KT Wiz at the Busan Sajik Stadium, achieving a remarkable performance with 4 at-bats, 2 hits (1 home run), 2 RBIs, 2 runs, and 1 walk. The team lost 8-11 after a slugfest, but it was a day that proved that the infield depth is also flourishing with Park Chan-hyoung.

Park Chan-hyoung became known to baseball fans through the baseball entertainment program "Fire Baseball." He played for the independent baseball league team, Hwaseong City Coriyo, before signing a nurtured player contract with Lotte on May 15. While adapting to the professional stage in the Futures League, he received a call-up to the first team. On June 18, he was called up after infielder Son Ho-young had to leave due to a finger injury, having shown good batting performance in the second team. It was just over a month after signing the nurtured player contract that his status was elevated to a formal player.

Park Chan-hyoung was unstoppable. On the 18th, he appeared as a designated hitter against Hanwha, and the following day, on the 19th, he got his first opportunity at the plate. He connected with the first pitch fastball from Han Seung-hyeok, which was over 150 km/h, making a line drive single for his debut hit.

And on the 26th, in his second at-bat against NC, he hit another single off the first pitch fastball from NC's Kim Tae-hoon, achieving a hit on both at-bats on the first pitch.

Manager Kim Tae-hyoung also had a strong impression of Park Chan-hyoung. Before the game on the 27th, he mentioned that it might be possible to delay the return of versatile infielder Lee Ho-jun, who was rehabilitating from a finger injury, a little longer. The reason was Park Chan-hyoung. Manager Kim explained, "Lee Ho-jun is almost okay, but there is no spot for him to come back. I think he should stay a bit longer because Park Chan-hyoung is doing so well right now. He hit on the first pitch in both at-bats, but it's not easy to time a pitch over 150 km/h. His defense is also okay, and I’m considering playing him in defense based on the situation, and if it goes well, I plan to keep using him."

This was a declaration that Park Chan-hyoung would have opportunities for the time being. However, the chance came faster than expected. In the second inning, shortstop Jeon Min-jae was substituted after being hit on the right palm by a batted ball during a defensive play. Immediately, in the bottom of the second inning, he was brought in as a pinch hitter.

Once again, Park Chan-hyoung swung at the first pitch determinedly. He hit the first pitch fastball from KT's starter Go Young-pyo, which was 134 km/h, delivering a solo home run that went over the right field fence. It was his first home run, and he accomplished the rare feat of making hits off the first pitch in all three of his first at-bats.

Later, Park Chan-hyoung, who was deployed in shortstop defense, failed to field a ground ball from Moon Sang-cheol with one out and a runner on second base in the third inning. He made an error during the play, ultimately enabling the score to shift from 2-3 to 5-3.

However, Park Chan-hyoung was a player who made up for it with his bat. In the subsequent third inning, when the score was 4-5, he stepped up to the plate again with one out and runners on first and second, and produced a timely hit, bringing the score to 5-5. He recorded hits in four consecutive at-bats after his debut.

This record tied the KBO's debut consecutive hits record. On June 25, 1993, OB's Kim Jong-seong recorded four consecutive hits in a game against the Haitai Tigers at the Gwangju Mudeung Stadium. Additionally, on October 2, 1997, Han Ik-hee of SSANGBANGWOOL recorded four consecutive hits in a game against Hanwha in Cheongju. While the earlier records were all made in a single game, Park Chan-hyoung's record was spread over three games, making it even more precious.

In the fourth inning, with two outs and a runner on first, Park Chan-hyoung challenged for a new record. However, the well-hit ball was directed straight to center field, and he failed to achieve a new record for five consecutive hits since his debut.

Nonetheless, despite the ongoing injuries to the roster, the continuous growth of players coming up from the second team and achieving meaningful results in the first team is an encouraging matter for the organization. Moving forward, Park Chan-hyoung is expected to receive more opportunities in the first team with his speed and batting. His defense will need to be observed further.

However, it was hoped that Park Chan-hyoung's best day would also be a joyful day for the team, but that was not the case. Despite Park Chan-hyoung's performance, which had Lotte ahead 8-5 in the game, the Lotte bullpen left much to be desired. In the seventh inning, their trusted late-inning pitcher Choi Jun-Yong collapsed, leading to an 8-11 comeback loss. Park Chan-hyoung's best day could not shine.

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