Professional baseball player Moon Hyun-bin (21) of the Hanwha Eagles has fulfilled his dream of debuting in the All-Star game with a recommendation from the coach. He resolved the disappointment of being pushed out of the best 12 by the 'oldest' active hitter Choi Hyung-woo (42, KIA).
The KBO announced the list of players recommended by the coaches for the 2025 All-Star game on the 30th of last month. A total of 26 players, 13 each from the Dream All-Star and the Nanum All-Star, will participate in the All-Star game to be held on the 12th at Hanwha Life Eagles Park in Daejeon.
This year's All-Star game is being held in Daejeon for the first time in 13 years, and a total of five players from Hanwha will participate. Starting pitcher Cody Ponce, middle reliever Park Sang-won, and closer Kim Seo-hyeon were selected as the best 12, along with infielder Lee Do-yoon and outfielder Moon Hyun-bin as coach’s recommendations.
Moon Hyun-bin's name stands out. He was listed as a candidate for designated hitter in the Nanum All-Star best 12 and recorded the most votes from fans with 1,262,466 votes. Among the five candidates, he was the only one to receive over 1 million votes, garnering support from the fans.
In the player voting, Moon Hyun-bin received the second most votes with 90, but was surpassed by Choi Hyung-woo, who received 166 votes. The best 12 is determined based on the total score, which combines 70% from fan votes and 30% from player votes, with Choi Hyung-woo turning the tables with 32.98 points compared to Moon Hyun-bin's 32.71 points. It was only a 0.27-point difference, the smallest margin among the best 12.
Although he fell short of the best 12, he is set to stage his first All-Star game with the coach's recommendation. While he is not a full-time starter, he will join Lee Do-yoon, a senior from Buk-il High School, who was also chosen as a coach's recommendation due to his contributions.
Moon Hyun-bin, a promising player, was aggressively selected by Hanwha with the 11th overall pick in the second round of the 2023 draft. Even in a situation where Hanwha primarily used their higher picks for pitchers despite having ample infield resources, they did not overlook Moon Hyun-bin's batting talent.
In his debut season in 2023, he impressively set the record for the seventh most hits (114) among high school graduates. He started last year as the starting second baseman in the opening game, but faced growing pains, returning to the second team due to defensive instability. However, after returning to the first team, he managed to maintain a strong performance with a batting average of .277 (72 hits in 260 at-bats), five home runs, 47 RBIs, and an OPS of .752 in 103 games. His overall statistical records improved.
In his third year this season, he is showing explosive potential. His innate talent, coupled with changes in his batting form, has been effective. While previously his name and number could be seen as he was closing his right shoulder, now they can be seen halfway opened. His ability to handle inside pitches has improved, and his vision for the ball has broadened considerably.
As a result, he is currently recording a batting average of .314 (88 hits in 280 at-bats), eight home runs, and 38 RBIs with an OPS of .832 over 76 games this season. He ranks fifth in the league for batting average and thirteenth for OPS, placing him in the top two within the team. With a WAR of 2.16 and seven game-winning hits, he stands as the best batter on the team.
Despite starting the season as a designated hitter and backup third baseman, he created a position for himself. In the climactic game against Samsung in Daegu on April 5, which marked the beginning of Hanwha's comeback, he stepped in as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning, hitting a solo home run to narrow the gap, then hitting a game-winning three-run home run in the ninth inning, catching the attention of coach Kim Kyung-moon. Coach Kim stated, "He came in as a high school rookie and hit 100 hits, which is not something someone taught him; it indicates he has innate talent. Since the finishing camp last year, he has practiced the most on our team. For our batting lineup to have depth, (Moon) Hyun-bin must secure a position."
Initially a middle infielder, he utilized his experience in the outfield as a rookie and secured a starting position as a left fielder from the end of April. While there have been some defensive mistakes, he has become an indispensable core player in the batting lineup, leading Hanwha's charge to first place. He is undoubtedly deserving of an All-Star spot.
원래 포지션은 내야수이지만 신인 시절 외야 경험을 살려 4월말부터 좌익수로 나서며 주전 한 자리를 꿰찼다. 수비에서 실수들이 나오기도 하지만 타선에서 뺄 수 없는 핵심으로 한화의 1위 질주를 이끌고 있다. 올스타가 될 자격이 충분하다.
[OSEN]