A familiar face to baseball fans has appeared at the KBO tryouts. Hwang Young-mook, 23, is an infielder who has made a name for himself through baseball entertainment programs such as Youth Baseball Team and Strongest Baseball.
The Korean Baseball Organization (KBO)온라인카지노 held its 2024 rookie draft tryouts on April 28 at the Gonjiam Team Up Campus in Gwangju, Gyeonggi-do. Five overseas amateur and professional players, as well as high school and college dropouts, participated, including Hwang Young-mook.
After dropping out of Chung Hoon High School, Hwang played for independent league teams such as the Seongnam Blue Panthers, Scoreboard Hyenas, and Yeoncheon Miracle before becoming eligible for this year’s draft. He made a strong impression with the Yeoncheon Miracle last year, hitting a cycling hit and posting a high batting average of over 4%.
Recently, Hwang appeared on a popular baseball entertainment program and showed off his solid skills to baseball fans. This year, he joined the Baseball Monsters, a team of retired players such as Lee Dae-ho and Park Yong-taek, and played as the main infielder, winning the MVP (Most Valuable Player) award in the Jang Chung-go game.
As such, Hwang Myung-mook, who is familiar to baseball fans, has drawn attention by challenging the KBO league. We can now look forward to seeing him play on the professional stage instead of on an entertainment program.
Hwang Young-mook batting. Korea Baseball Organization
It rained all morning at the Team Up Campus field where the tryouts were held. But that didn’t deter the players’ desire to play professionally. “It was my team’s home stadium, so I thought it would be familiar and comfortable,” says Hwang Young-mook, “but I panicked a bit when it rained. Still, I think I did well as I always do,” he said with confidence.
“I played baseball in the independent league for four seasons, and this year’s tryout was the most important for me,” he said. “I showed all the things I’ve been preparing for every year of baseball, and now I think it’s just a matter of results,” he said with a determined expression.
After the 2019 season, Hwang enlisted in the army for active duty, so it would have been difficult for him to maintain his skills. “Fortunately, the battalion commander was a baseball fanatic, so he was very considerate,” Hwang said, adding that he was grateful that he was given enough space and time to exercise. “I was originally a dwarf, but I gained weight and got in shape,” he recalled.
He was also reunited with some familiar faces in the military. Hwang, who served with his close junior, Ko Seung-min (23, Lotte), said, “I received a lot of advice from him because he is a senior in terms of professionalism.”
Hwang Young-mook being interviewed by the press. NoCut News
His recent appearance on a baseball entertainment program was also a big motivator. “I had a lot of problems while playing baseball, but I learned a lot by appearing on the youth baseball team and playing against professional teams,” said Hwang Young-mook, adding, “This year, I also received a lot of stimulation from the strongest baseball.”
Although he has attracted a lot of attention through his broadcasts, he wants to be recognized for his skills. “I’m not a broadcaster, so I think the attention is undeserved,” said Hwang Young-mook. “I didn’t play baseball with the goal of becoming famous as a broadcaster. I want to become a professional player and become famous.”
However, appearing on the show has helped him gain recognition. “Some people recognized me from the outside, and there were many people who supported me. I received a lot of contacts from acquaintances,” he said, but he also admitted, “I was cautious because I was in a position to be evaluated at the tryout, but I was afraid it would be a minus.” “I want to go to the pros and become a player who receives support,” he said.
After the tryout, Hwang Young-mook said, “I think I’ve done everything I can do. I feel like I’ve done everything I can do,” he smiled. “I prepared for this year’s draft as if it was my last chance to go pro, so I hope it will be a good result,” he said.
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