*This content was translated by AI.
The defensive utility award newly established by the KBO (Korea Baseball Organization) this year is a good example of re-examining forgotten values and improving negative perceptions with simple gestures.
Previously, utility players were treated only as "soldering bread" that was quickly put in when the main players left. It was a recognition that I would be grateful if players, who were neither defensive nor offensive, were put in the second half of the game and filled the hole.
However, the perception has changed significantly since the U.S. Major League Baseball (ML) a few years ago. It has intensively fostered players who show offense and defense as much as the main players anywhere. It was the beginning of having the players take on two basic positions. Thus, utility players have now been redefined as the "10th main player" who can also start when they are excluded for rest or strategic reasons.
It was Koo Bon-hyuk (29) of the LG Twins who proved his value in the Korean KBO League. Last year, LG suffered a crisis due to the sudden departure of Hong Chang-ki (33). However, Koo Bon-hyuk filled the gap with a batting average of 0.286 (98 hits in 343 times at bat) and an on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) of 0.717 in 131 regular-season games. LG manager Yeom Kyung-yeop (58) also cited Koo Bon-hyuk as the No. 1 contributor to LG's victory.
Given that the introduction of the utility sector into the KBO Golden Glove sector was discussed in earnest after the end of the season, it is no exaggeration to say that the utility sector was established thanks to Koo Bon-hyuk's performance.
The battle for the KBO's first man title, the winner of the first defensive award in the utility category, has also been hot since the beginning of the 2026 season.
Coincidentally, LG is also the starting point of the fierce competition. While Koo Bon-hyuk, who was considered the most likely candidate, slowed down to a 10-game batting average of 0.143 (3 hits in 21 at-bats) with three RBIs and two runs and an OPS of 0.360, another utility player Chun Sung-ho (29) is flying.
Chun Sung-ho has a batting average of 0.435 (10 hits in 23 at-bats), one home run, three RBIs and four runs in nine games, and a 0.519 on-base percentage with a 0.696 OPS 1.215 slugging percentage. In the match against the Changwon NC Dinos on the 8th, he made a dramatic two-run shot, contributing to the team's come-from-behind victory and four consecutive wins.
In fact, the KBO defense does not reflect the aggressive side of the utility sector at all. The KBO defensive award, which awards players in each position who showed the best defensive ability in the regular season, adds up 75% of the voting score and 25% of the defensive record score, which are determined by a total of 110 votes, including nine coaches and 11 heads of each club. The utility sector used players who played 50 or more innings in each of three or more positions among defenders over 540 innings in the season as a selection criterion.
Even though the batting performance is not reflected at all, the important thing is the opportunity to play. It is not easy in the KBO league for a player to go 50 innings each in three or more positions than expected. There are not many cases in the KBO league yet that boldly exclude key players for rest and conditioning. Utility players have to show more than a certain number of hits to put in as much as possible on the field.
That naturally creates competitiveness in defensive innings. In fact, LG Koo Bon-hyuk and Chun Sung-ho, KT Wiz Oh Yoon-seok (34), SSG Landers Ahn Sang-hyun (29), and NC Dinos Seo Ho-cheol (30) are among the top 10 utility players who can play more than three positions at the present time.
Manager Yeom Kyung-yeop, who values utility players as a representative, started Koo Bon-hyuk as the outfield last year and said, "Koo Bon-hyuk is playing better than anyone in August last year, but what he is not using is a strategic loss. He also stressed that playing the infield and outfield together will help expand the overall range of use.
In that sense, LG is considered a likely club to win the KBO defensive award in the utility category. The head coach's support has already begun. Coach Yeom Kyung-yeop said, "You can see it as a main match," regarding Koo Bon-hyuk, and Chun Sung-ho said, "It has grown a lot last season. Another batter who doesn't die easily at bat. A batter who can be a contact," he praised.
There are also good competitors who can stimulate each other. Koo Bon-hyuk is quickly meeting the conditions with 40 innings at third base, 20 innings at shortstop, and 49 innings at third base.
Chun Sung-ho played against KIA in Jamsil on the 2nd, saying, "(Moon) Bo-kyung is playing as the designated hitter, so I think I'm playing. "If you keep going with the same mind as you've done so far, wouldn't you have a good result?" he said.
"I was close to (former) Bon-hyuk, so the two of us continue to defend and give feedback and learn a lot. Of course, I want to receive the defense prize, but I don't think it will be easy because Bon-hyuk is such an outstanding person and he has to defend well," he said calmly.
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*This content was translated by AI.
