"ML Golden Gloves Leave → Miner Joins Home Run King" Still, firm "Ryu Shim"... Expectations for Kim Joo-won + Kim Hye-sung Keystone

*This content was translated by AI.

"I'm thinking of Kim Joo-won as my main shortstop."

Kim Ha-sung (31, Atlanta Braves), the main character of MLB's Gold Glove, left and there was no additional shortstop selection. Shay Witcom (28, Houston Astros), a former minor league home run king, joined the team, but Ryu Ji-hyun (55), head coach of the national baseball team, shouts that shortstop is Kim Joo-won (24, NC Dinos).

Kim Joo-won is participating in NC's spring camp in Tucson, Arizona. He went to the first World Baseball Classic (WBC) camp in Saipan last month and participated in team training, followed by the second camp for the national team to be held in Okinawa, Japan, from the 15th.

Kim Joo-won's name was included as expected in the final list of the 2026 WBC national team released on the 6th. In all 144 games last year, he played a batting average of 0.289, 15 home runs, 65 RBIs, 98 runs and 44 steals, a on-base percentage of 0.379, a slugging percentage of 0.451, and an OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.830, and won the KBO defense award with the Golden Glove for the first time in his life.

However, there was a big change in the position of the national team in a short time. Kim Ha-sung left due to injury, and coach Ryu Ji-hyun also hinted at the possibility of selecting additional shortstop, but in the end, the professional shortstop remained as Kim Joo-won. Witcom, who won the home run title in the minor league, is a super utility man who does not care about both inside and outside, but Kim Joo-won is expected to have priority over the shortstop position.

Coach Ryu Ji-hyun said at a press conference to announce the national team's roster on the 6th, "When I went to the U.S. in September last year and talked about shortstop. In 2023, he played almost as a shortstop. He said, "I can play shortstop enough," but added, "I think Kim Joo-won is the main shortstop. After that, I think it will change depending on the situation," he said.

Kim Joo-won, who met with reporters before leaving the country on the 24th of last month, said, "At first, I didn't think I would play as a main player until I went to Saipan, and I thought we should prepare steadily."

Then Witcom joined, but he even received the main seal from head coach Ryu. Kim Joo-won, who is already making his third turn in the three-day training-day rest cycle, said through the club, "I'm really honored to be selected as the representative of the Republic of Korea in a big tournament called WBC, and I feel that much responsibility," adding, "As WBC is a big tournament, I'm most excited to be able to compete with world-class players." "I think all the players in the competition are excellent, so it's hard to pick a player that I want to specifically deal with," he said.

I look forward to meeting Matt Davidson, who is working together on his team, as an enemy. Davison will play for the Canadian national team in the WBC. Kim Joo-won said, "I talked with Davidson about how I would like to be able to advance to the upper round and face each other."

His shoulders have become heavier as 'national shortstop Kim Joo-won.' Kim Hye-sung (LA Dodgers), who followed him around in Saipan camp and tried to absorb his strengths, is expected to play as a Keystone duo. Earlier, during Saipan camp, Kim Joo-won said, "Hye-sung is taking the initiative, so I think he works hard to see and learn more," adding, "I'm working harder not to fall behind."

Kim Joo-won vowed, "As it is a competition that many people are watching and looking forward to, I will do my best until the end of the remaining period so that I can repay you with good play with responsibility."

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*This content was translated by AI.