"Even so, I was born in 2006." Scouts lament, Lotte 5R talent who was burdened by the eldest brother, batting average of 0.375 in exhibition games

*This content was translated by AI.

"But I was born in 2006"

This is what a KBO scout said in the middle of last season lamented about Whimoon High School captain Kim Han-hole (20).

Kim Han-hole is a right-handed left-handed outfielder who was nominated by the Lotte Giants as the 44th in the fifth round of the 2026 KBO Rookie Draft after graduating from Seoul Dogok Elementary School, Hwimoon Middle School and Whimoon High School. When he finished his second year season, he was a promising prospect who was expected to be nominated for the top round within three rounds. As a mid- to long-distance hitter who can produce a lot of doubles based on strong shoulders and fast feet, he was on par with Oh Jae-won (19, Hanwha 1R 3rd), Park Han-gyeol (19, Kium 1R 10th), Ahn Ji-won (19, NC 6R 52nd), and Oh Si-hoo (19, 7R 65th).

Last year, there were many field prospects who couldn't bear the pressure to do well ahead of the professional nomination, and Kim Han-hole did the same. On top of that, he failed to take care of himself while leading the entire team as the oldest member of the Whimoon High School. As a result, the scouts watching also felt sorry.

In the end, the most important third-year season ended with a batting average of 0.240 (24 hits in 100 at-bats), one home run, 11 RBIs and five steals, and a 0.319 slugging percentage. He was nominated for the fifth round, which was behind expectations, due to his lack of change.

Whimoon High School coach Oh Tae-geun, who met with Star News this year, also said, "(Kim) Han-hole is a scary style when he hits once. But last year, I think there was a burden. It was okay in the first competition, but at some point, I saw that I had a lot of thoughts. I had a lot of thoughts, so the bat went out even on the ball that I didn't touch well."

At the same time, he said, "I think it will be important how to put the first button in Lotte. Scouts (not Lotte) also said that contact skills and shoulders can work in professional sports, and they were fast and good defense. I also believe that he will do well because he was a player who took good care of his younger brothers despite his consistent efforts."

As the teacher wishes, it seems that the first step has been done well. In the recently concluded KBO exhibition game, Kim Han-hole played in 10 games and posted a batting average of 0.375 (3 hits in 8 at-bats), two RBIs, two steals, four runs on one walk, two strikeouts, and an on-base percentage of 0.400 slugging percentage. Among the prominent seniors, he mainly played as a pinch runner and a logistical guard, but he built a good image by stealing and stepping home every time he went out.

Kim Han-hole, whom I recently met at Sajik Baseball Stadium, had a bright face. Kim Han-hole said, "I'm having fun playing baseball for the first time in a long time," and for that reason, "Actually last year, I was burdened because I was the oldest and the oldest member of the team. But I'm the youngest here," he said with a big smile.

On the 20th, during the exhibition game, he also played in the opening game of the Futures League against Ulsan Wales. At this time, he was the starting right fielder. Kim Han-hole, who met with Star News again in Ulsan, was rather happy to go to Futures suddenly.

Kim Han-hole said, "Coaches told me to see the ball in the Futures game, so I came here. "I thought it was a natural decision as I was still a rookie, and I was rather grateful," he said. "I think defense is still okay because I trained hard, but I have a lot of regrets about hitting myself." In particular, breaking balls with large trajectories like splitters are tricky. I also wanted to see a little more of the ball," he stressed.

Lotte finished first in the exhibition game again this year and began to agonize over the opening entry. Kim Han-hole performed 100% of the expected role in the team in a short time, but he is also likely to go to the Futures League and gain more experience at bat.

However, it is unlikely to be a big problem for a rookie who has already overcome the burden as the eldest brother, whether the starting point is Busan or Sangdong. Kim Han-hole said, "When I joined Lotte, I came in with the mindset that I would start all over again. I may not be able to hit all the balls, but I was a player who stuck stubbornly at the plate and somehow got on base. I want to train hard and show you that at this (sajik baseball stadium)," he said, expressing his strong ambition.

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*This content was translated by AI.