Professional baseball player Song Seong-mun (29) of Kiwoom Heroes honestly shared his thoughts on advancing to Major League Baseball.
Song Seong-mun joined Nexen (now Kiwoom) as the 49th pick in the 5th round of the 2015 rookie draft. Although he debuted in the first team from his first year and received many opportunities, he did not perform as expected until 2023. However, he finally showed his potential last year, recording a batting average of .304 (179 hits in 527 at-bats), 19 home runs, 104 RBIs, 88 runs, 21 stolen bases, and an OPS of .927.
This season, Song Seong-mun has continued his strong performance. He is currently batting .287 (102 hits in 356 at-bats) with 14 home runs, 51 RBIs, 53 runs, and 12 stolen bases, with an OPS of .829. As his performance continues, discussions about Song Seong-mun potentially advancing to Major League Baseball, like many of his seniors and teammates including Kang Jung-ho, Park Byung-ho (Samsung), Kim Ha-seong (Tampa Bay), Lee Jung-hoo (San Francisco), and Kim Hye-sung (Dodgers), have been ongoing.
Regarding Song Seong-mun's potential move to Major League Baseball, a Kiwoom official noted, 'It is true that there are opinions suggesting that Song Seong-mun may go to Major League Baseball.' However, he added, 'All players who have advanced to Major League Baseball until now have discussed the posting process with the club in advance. In contrast, Song Seong-mun and the club have not specifically discussed advancing to Major League Baseball.'
Song Seong-mun, whose stance on the move to Major League Baseball has changed several times, said, 'Honestly, I had no such thoughts at all in January and February. Last year was a successful season for me, but I couldn’t be sure if I could perform well again at the beginning of this year. My performance wasn't great at the start of the season either. Up until then, doubts about myself had not completely disappeared. Many players have a breakout year and then fall short; I thought I could be one of those players. That’s why when discussions about Major League Baseball arose, I said I had no thoughts on it at all.'
'However, after seeing me firmly deny it, (Kim) Ha-seong said that there was no need for me to deny it so strongly,' Song Seong-mun revealed. 'When I heard people say that if I just perform well, I might be able to apply for posting, I thought there’s no reason to completely shut the door on that possibility. If it’s evident that I am doing well and people recognize my performance, then there’s no reason not to go.' He explained that this got somewhat distorted.
'I was surprised that it became a bigger issue than I expected,' someone laughed, and Song Seong-mun commented, 'You can see it as an open ending.' He mentioned, 'I’ve never seriously considered going to the United States, so I have no fear, no expectations, and no curiosity about it. I'm just keeping the possibility open. If by the end of the season there is a real chance, then I'm sure I will hear good things just like when Ha-seong or other players went. When that time comes, I will try to think about it realistically.'
To increase his chances of moving to Major League Baseball, it is essential to finish the second half of the season successfully. Song Seong-mun stated, 'Since it's summer, the weather is getting hotter, and from now is crucial. Our team wasn't doing well in the first half, and we need to build hopeful performance in the second half to have expectations for next year.' He remarked, 'Comparing my first half performance to last year is a bit disappointing. However, considering my personal performance, it seems not bad compared to my past records. I will work harder in the second half,' as he vowed to finish the remaining season strong.
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