Kim Do-young, who was praised by "Korea's genius hitter," said, "I focused" and the secret to his solo shot was also genius

*This content was translated by AI.

Kim Do-young (23, KIA Tigers) is already raising the guard of opposing teams ahead of the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC).

Kim Do-young started as the first batter and third baseman in a warm-up match against the Hanshin Tigers at Kyocera Dome in Osaka, Japan on the 2nd, and played an active role with two hits, one RBI and two runs in three at-bats, including a solo home run.

He kept his third base as a starter in the first game of the national team, which he played as a whole with anxiety about his defense, but he satisfied coach Ryu Ji-hyun with his perfect performance.

Japanese media Sponizia Nex delivered Kim Do-young's remarks after the game on the 2nd, saying, "I focused and turned it right," and introduced him as a young Korean genius hitter who achieved 30 (homer)-30 (stealing) in 2024.

In his first at-bat in the top of the first inning, Kim Do-young, who boldly hit the first pitch of Hiroto Saiki, the No. 1 ERA in the Central League last year, sprinted to first base after hitting a ground ball to an exquisite position. The third baseman quickly caught and tried to apologize, but Kim Do-young's foot was faster.

Kim Do-young, who headed to second base with Lee Jung-hoo's hit, turned third base and dug home when Moon Bo-kyung had a heavy hit, giving the national team its first score.

Kim Do-young, who once again hit the third base in the second inning but was grounded out this time, hit a tying solo shot over the left-center wall by hitting a slider from Daiki Hayakawa in the fifth inning when South Korea was being dragged 2-3.

According to Sponizia Nex, after the game, Kim Do-young said, "In Okinawa (the second training site), I have focused on learning the sense of practice," adding, "I worked hard today, focusing only on the idea of playing well."

"In the first two at-bats, there were many things that bothered me, so I swung the bat hastily," he said. "But in the third at-bat, I focused only on what I needed to focus on and swung properly, so I was able to lead to a home run." Unlike the previous two at-bats, which were unable to concentrate, it was a remark that highlighted Kim Do-young's genius that he had a home run when he increased his concentration without any special secret.

He also expressed satisfaction, saying, "Personally, I'm satisfied that I can play today's game and finish the game without injury and without any physical problems."

"Kim Do-young is a young genius hitter who hit 0.347 with 38 home runs and 40 steals in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) in 2024, achieving the Triple Three (30, 30 home runs, 30 steals) and winning the Most Valuable Player (MVP)," the media said. "Kim Do-young is expected to be the most threatening to the Samurai Japan (Japan national team), which will face off on the 7th."

Kim Do-young, who had his best season in 2024, but suffered three hamstring injuries last year, showed off a huge presence with a batting average of 0.309 and an on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) of 0.943, but played only 30 games due to injuries.

In addition, unlike hitting, he showed anxiety in defense, so there were predictions that he would play a backup or designated hitter role in the WBC, but he played a strong role as the main third baseman from the first game of the national team as a whole. There was no particular anxiety in defense.

Roh Si-hwan (Hanwha), an outstanding resource, could also be Shay Witcom (Houston) as third baseman. However, it is expected to be a great asset for the national team that Kim Do-young can play defense without any problems and show off her unique presence at bat.

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*This content was translated by AI.