*This content was translated by AI.
Infielder Ahn Chi-hong (36), who moved from Hanwha Eagles to Kiwoom Heroes through the second draft last year, expressed his determination ahead of his departure from the spring camp. He expressed his willingness to prepare for the third base defense, which he has never played on the professional stage.
Ahn Chi-hong met with reporters before leaving for Kaohsiung, Kiwoom's spring camp site, at Incheon International Airport on the 22nd and said, "I'm a little worried because the players don't know yet and I don't know the team's atmosphere. I've heard outside that the atmosphere is free, but I think this season will be different. I leave with the thought of trying hard because the amount of training is increasing to become a strong team. I'm looking forward to it a lot," he said.
An Chi-hong joined Kiwoom through the second draft held on November 19 last year. Ahn Chi-hong, who graduated from Daechi Middle School and Seoul High School, wore the KIA Tigers uniform as the first overall first-round pick in the 2009 KBO second rookie draft. After taking the first-team stage from his 2009 debut season, he moved to the Lotte Giants through a free agent (FA) contract in the 2020 season. Since then, he is a large infielder wearing a Hanwha uniform as his second FA contract.
An Chi-hong, who has recorded a batting average of 0.294 (1859 hits in 6324 at-bats) with 155 home runs and 927 RBIs in 1,814 KBO league games, had a career low season with a poor batting average of 0.172 (30 hits in 174 at-bats) and 18 RBIs in 66 games in Hanwha in the 2025 season. In the end, he failed to make the Korean Series entry and did not make it to the protected player in the second draft.
Kiwoom was the first to call An Chi-hong's name in the second draft. He named it with such high expectations. Since infielder Choi Joo-hwan (38) and infielder Seo Geon-chang (37) joined the team, it is necessary to reorganize the infield position. Ahn Chi-hong mainly played second baseman on the professional stage and began to double as a first baseman in the 2018 season. It will be the first time in his life if he takes over as third baseman.
On the position issue, An Chi-hong said, "At the first meeting, the coach told me (about the third baseman). So first, I take 3 gloves for camp. I don't know which position I'll take on, but I think I'll do all the training. After the 2025 season, he continued to build his body after a short break, so his goal is to keep going up without injury."
He then said, "In fact, it is true that it is burdensome if the throwing distance is far away. However, when I played shortstop in high school and saw the second baseman in the professional league, my throw got shorter. In the end, I think it will be more important to continue to learn the senses through repeated practice," he added.
Now An Chi-hong will play with No. 9 in the 2026 season. There is no special meaning, and it is said that he chose an empty number. If you give meaning to An Chi-hong, this is the number that Jung Hoon (39), a close friend of Lotte Giants, used to wear from the 2018 to 2025 season. Ahn Chi-hong said, "In fact, I can't ask for a number I want to use because I didn't come well to the team, but I have to show it to the team. If you chose one of the empty options and it's meaningful, it's the number that (Jung) Hoon used at Lotte. "I told my brother that I retired and got the same number," he laughed.
Finally, he said, "I heard there will be a lot of training, especially this season. There are a little more veterans, but I want to join forces together and contribute to the team's rebound," he said.
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*This content was translated by AI.
