It's okay to become stronger in Hanwha... From LG Park Hae-min's sincerity, "(Oh) Jae-won, (Moon) Hyun-bin, feel free to ask." [Okinawa Station]

*This content was translated by AI.

National center fielder Park Hae-min (36, LG Twins) is offering generous defensive advice to young Hanwha Eagles players against the Korean Series last year. He is so sincere that he even contacted Oh Jae-won, a 19-year-old rookie, to meet him first.

Recently, four KBO teams, including the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) Korean national baseball team and Hanwha, are training in Okinawa, Japan. The national team will reconvene from the 15th and play six games before heading to Osaka, Japan, on the 28th. Each KBO club will also hold a full-fledged practice game between the teams from March after proceeding with the national team.

Park Hae-min, who recently met at Kadena Baseball Stadium in Kadena, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, told Star News, "We met for a while after a practice game on the 23rd. We were going to meet and talk, but Jaewon was also busy, so we decided to talk in detail next time. (Moon)Hyunbin received the number through and told me to ask if I have any questions at any time. The same goes for Hyun Bin," he said.

Oh Jae-won is an outfielder who was selected as the third overall pick in the first round of the 2026 KBO Rookie Draft after graduating from Yushin High School. Oh Jae-won's strength is his wide range of defense and sense of defense using fast feet. He has been consistent throughout the three years in hitting, and despite being a high school fielder, he is expected to make the first team stage as soon as possible. At the time of the nomination, A, an official from another KBO club, not Hanwha, said, "In fact, the range of defense is more important than the shoulders for center field. It can be considered similar to Park Hae-min. That's how sensible he is and the accuracy of his throwing is good."

It is no coincidence that Park Hae-min comes to mind from Oh Jae-won. In fact, Oh Jae-won, whom I met when I was a freshman in Yushin High School, said, "I mainly watch and refer to videos of fast players like Park Hae-min. In particular, Park Hae-min has a wide range of defense and good batting judgment, so he is learning a lot through videos."

In other words, he met his idol when he was young in Okinawa, Japan. Surprisingly, however, the first meeting took place under the leadership of Park Hae-min. Park Hae-min said, "I asked Jae-won (Oh) to meet me first. I saw a lot of articles about Jaewon using me as his role model and watching videos, so I wanted to meet him too. There's no other reason why I asked you to meet me first. There are a lot of things to do when you're a rookie. He also explained, "He is over 15 years apart from me (17 years old), but it is difficult to contact a senior who is this much older than me first."

"We exchanged numbers and told them to ask anytime, but it probably won't be easy because we have a lot to do during camp. In addition, defense and things to talk about are not easy through Talk. That's why I wanted to meet him and talk to him even during the season, he said. "Now I'm talking a lot with (Moon) Hyun-bin." Hanwha says Hyun Bin can also be used as a center fielder, so they are telling him about the first start or the judgment of the batting. I know you haven't done it a lot, but Hyun Bin is doing well," he said with a smile.

I asked Moon Hyun-bin directly what the effect of tutoring Park Hae-min would be. Moon Hyun-bin said, "Coach Kim Kyung-moon told me to prepare to play all the outfield positions. He said, "When I go to the national team, I asked Park Hae-min to learn." He continued, "He taught me a lot of ways to start. I can't bring (Park) Hae-min's ability to chase a ball. Instead, I'm learning intensively because the start seems to be a part that I can follow as much as possible. "When I go to Osaka, (Lee) Jung-hoo will come, so I'm going to learn left field starting then," he added.

Park Hae-min also approached Moon Hyun-bin first. Moon Hyun-bin said, "(Park) Hae-min is trying to create an atmosphere where I can be comfortable. You're joking with me first. Thanks to this, I've adapted a lot, so I'm asking little by little."

He said, "I think he's a really great person. He has excellent leadership, and he played almost all games in center field last year, and it's great to take care of his body. Also, I felt that he was a senior who became an example after seeing him talk to juniors like me first. If I grow like that in the future, I want to be a senior who approaches my juniors first. He said, "He's a senior who has a lot to learn and learn."

The two, who grow up under the advice of Park Hae-min, are good stimulants for each other. Moon Hyun-bin said, "(Oh) Jae-won seems to be really good. The defense is really good and the batting contact is good, so I want to do well when I see Jae-won. I keep thinking that I shouldn't be complacent here," he said with strength.

The growth of Moon Hyun-bin and Oh Jae-won is the way for the rival Hanwha to become stronger. However, Park Hae-min does not care about this. Rather, he was happy with the situation where there are fewer and fewer center field prospects.

When asked by reporters after the national team match on the 24th, "I think I've become a role model for all KBO outfielders," Park Hae-min said, "I didn't actually imagine that I would be such a player. I really appreciate young players just saying that. He also responded, "It's good that young players seem to be getting interested in defense little by little."

He said, "I think the defense should be solid for Korean baseball. Not all players can play as well as Kim Do-young and Ahn Hyun-min. If defense is what can make use of one's strengths, I hope he is also interested in defense. I also feel more responsible because I learn that kind of interest through myself," he said with a smile.

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*This content was translated by AI.