Are there only Kim Do-young and Ahn Hyun-min 03s in the national team! Kim Ju-won's Strong Confidence "Those born in 2002 are also good at baseball" [Okinawa Station]

*This content was translated by AI.

Kim Joo-won (24, NC Dinos), the only shortstop on the Korean national baseball team at the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), cheered for his friends born in 2002.

Kim Joo-won recently met with reporters at Kadena Baseball Stadium in Kadena, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, and said, "Originally, 2002 players were good at baseball, but 2003 players were so good." Of course, I'm confident that I won't be pushed by my younger siblings," he said with strength.

The national team, led by head coach Ryu Ji-hyun (55), finished training in Okinawa, Japan from February 15 to 27 and headed to Osaka, Japan on the 28th. After a warm-up match with the Hanshin Tigers and Orix Buffaloes of the Japanese Professional Baseball (NPB), they will go to Tokyo, the land of the showdown, and play Group C in the first round of the WBC.

During the two weeks in Okinawa, the national team played a total of five practice matches. Starting with the first loss against the Samsung Lions on the 20th, he won four consecutive games against the Hanwha Eagles and four consecutive games against the KIA Tigers and Samsung to finish the game with 4 wins and 1 loss.

In the process, shortstop Kim Joo-won played the most prominent role. He had three hits and three RBIs in three at-bats against Hanwha on the 21st, including a three-run home run in the final. In the match against Hanwha on the 23rd, he recorded two hits in four at-bats, including a large double, and in the match against KIA on the 24th, he succeeded in getting on base three times with two hits in three at-bats, including an opponent's error.

Kim Joo-won said, "I'm not in a bad condition, but I don't want to think it's good. I don't know what will happen in the main competition if I think it's good, so I'm only trying to achieve what I aimed for in the game," he said.

Kim Joo-won, who graduated from Samil Elementary School (Gunpo City Little), Ansan Joongang Middle School and Yushin High School, is a switch-heater shortstop designated by NC as the sixth pick in the second round of the 2021 KBO Rookie Draft. Since his debut, he has consistently received opportunities for the first team and finally took off his single eyelid last year. In all 144 games last year, he played a batting average of 0.289 (156 hits in 539 at-bats), 15 home runs, 65 RBIs, 98 runs and 44 steals, and a 0.379 on-base percentage of 0.451 OPS 0.830 and even the national flag this time.

2025 was a year where the growth of not only Kim Joo-won but also those born in 2002 stood out. Song Seung-ki (22), who joined LG as 87th in the second round of the rookie draft in the same year after graduating from Samil Elementary School, Maehyang Middle School, and Yatap High School, is one of them. Song Seung-ki became a key player in LG's unified championship last year by winning 11-6 with a 3.50 ERA and 125 strikeouts in 144 innings in 28 games.

Another one, Cho Byung-hyun (24, SSG Landers), has risen to the top of the league. After graduating from Onyang Hot Spring Elementary School, Onyang Middle School, and Sebo, Cho Byung-hyun joined the SK Wyverns (currently SSG) as the 28th in the second round of the same year. After being discharged from the military athletic unit (Sangmu), he was positioned in the first team in 2024, showing his potential. Last year, he recorded 5 wins, 4 losses and 30 saves in 69 games, a 1.60 ERA, and 79 strikeouts in 67 ⅓ innings.

All three were united for the first time in the national team thanks to their performances. In response, Kim Joo-won said, "Certainly, there were not many people born in 2002 before, so I was discouraged. "There were so many kids who were good at it in 2003 and 2004," he said. "It's so nice to be here with (Jo) Byung-hun and (Song) Seung-gi this time. I'm sure I'm really psychologically stable just because my friend comes with me," he said with a big smile.

The only regret is that all of my friends are pitching groups. Fielders and pitchers usually live separately because their training routines are different. Kim Joo-won said, "Actually, I'm a fielder and the two of them are pitchers, so there's no point of contact. It's a shame, but every time we meet, we joke around once. I've known (Song) Seung-gi since elementary school and went to the (youth) national team with him, so I don't feel very awkward. I also have a point of contact with Seung-gi, so I'm talking comfortably," he explained.

The reason why those born in 2002 who are so good at this have not been highlighted compared to their performance is largely due to those born in 2003 who hit the KBO league in the last two years. In 2024, Kim Do-young (23, KIA Tigers) won the league MVP and the Korean Series with 38 home runs and 40 steals. As Kim Do-young slowed down for a while due to injury last year, Ahn Hyun-min (23, KT Wiz) announced the birth of a big shot in Uta. If he got it right, he marked 22 home runs and 80 RBIs last year with his strength exceeding 130 meters, winning the KBO on-base king (0.448) and the rookie of the year. Ahn Hyun-min and Kim Do-young also hit long balls, including back-to-back home runs, in the national team's practice game, and became the target of the opponent team in Group C.

However, the 02z (born in 2002) showed as good performance as the 03s (born in 2003) in four consecutive practice games. Not only Kim Joo-won but also Cho Byung-hyun was considered to be in the best condition in the national team for his scoreless performance with two strikeouts in two innings. Song Seung-ki did not have any more opportunities to show off his skills as the match against KT was canceled in rain on the 27th. However, given that it has already been classified as a starting resource, it is expected to perform well in the future.

Kim Joo-won, who was separated from the pitching teams and interviewed separately on the same day, said, "I hope (Song) Seung-gi and (Jo) Byung-hyun both go well with each other as friends. Now that I have to perform well at the WBC, I hope each of us will play our roles well and work out really well," he said with a smile.

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*This content was translated by AI.