KT Wiz manager Lee Kang-cheol selected ‘right-handed slugger’ Ahn Hyun-min, who has emerged as the best hit product in professional baseball, as the team’s most valuable player in the first half of the season.
The standout product of the 2025 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League first half is undoubtedly KT's right-handed slugger Ahn Hyun-min (22). He burst onto the scene in May with a batting average of .333 and hit 9 home runs, earning a spot as a candidate for the monthly MVP. He further upgraded his skills in June with a batting average of .346, 4 home runs, and 16 RBIs, and as of July, he continues to dominate with a batting average of .500, 3 home runs, and 7 RBIs.
Ahn Hyun-min has a season total of 59 games, a batting average of .354, 75 hits, 16 home runs, 53 RBIs, a slugging percentage of .651, an on-base percentage of .465, and an OPS of 1.116, making waves in the league. He has hit 16 home runs in just two months and ranks joint 5th in the home run institutional sector despite not yet meeting the required plate appearances. Thanks to his combination of power and contact ability, various hitting metrics such as batting average, home runs, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage are all consistently high.
Before the match against the Incheon SSG Landers on the 10th, manager Lee Kang-cheol said, “I’m excited to see how much farther Ahn Hyun-min will hit today. I think that’s why many fans are drawn in. I want to keep watching him at the plate. Ahn Hyun-min has now become that kind of player.”
Ahn Hyun-min, a graduate of Masan High School, was a promising catcher drafted by KT with the 38th pick in the 4th round of the 2022 Rookie Draft. During his amateur days, he was known as a catcher who could steal bases and displayed his speed, but after turning professional, he shifted to an outfield position to maximize his hitting. Ahn Hyun-min enlisted for military service and took on duties as a border guard and cook, transforming himself into a 100 kg muscle man, and his efforts are finally paying off this year on the first-team stage.
Another strength of Ahn Hyun-min is his strong mentality. Manager Lee Kang-cheol noted, “Ahn Hyun-min has made two defensive errors recently. While other players might hang their heads, Ahn Hyun-min just comes back without concern and hits a single in his next at-bat. The other players encouraged him, saying, ‘He has hit so well for us.’ Those defensive mistakes were a bit critical, but his mental strength is good. That’s fortunate.”
Ahn Hyun-min also received advice on becoming a better hitter. Manager Lee Kang-cheol said, “Even if Ahn Hyun-min doesn’t get good pitches, he has to be patient. His contact ability is good, and there will be more opportunities behind him, so I always tell him to be patient. That’s why his batting average doesn’t drop.” He added, “There are hitters who don’t hold back and keep swinging at bad pitches, causing their averages to drop, but Ahn Hyun-min is not like that. I want him to develop that habit starting now. He has a lot of baseball left to play.”
Meanwhile, KT has announced their starting lineup against SSG's starter Drew Anderson, which includes Hwang Jae-gyun (first baseman), Heo Kyung-min (third baseman), Ahn Hyun-min (right fielder), Mel Rojas Jr. (left fielder), Jang Seong-woo (catcher), Lee Jung-hoon (designated hitter), Kim Sang-su (second baseman), Jang Jin-hyuk (center fielder), and Kwon Dong-jin (shortstop). The starting pitcher is Ko Young-pyo.
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