'80 million won signing bonus' 19-year-old rookie's historic home run → summons 'Hakdari first baseman' from KBO's inaugural season 44 years ago [Yesterday's Baseball Moment]

*This content was translated by AI.

April 23 NC 12-2 Kiwoom (Gocheok)

In the top of the 7th inning, with NC Dinos leading by a large margin of 9-1, a two-run home run was hit, extending the score to 11-1.

The home run appeared to have little impact on the outcome of the game. However, the NC dugout and the visiting fans' section near third base were in an uproar. This was because the batter who hit the home run was Go Jun-hwi (19), who made his professional starting debut that day.

Go Jun-hwi, a left-handed outfielder from Jeonju High School, was selected in the 4th round, 32nd overall, in the 2026 Rookie Draft and signed with NC for a signing bonus of 80 million won. He hit .333 (5 hits in 15 at-bats) with 3 RBIs in 10 spring training games, earning a spot on the opening day roster. However, after going 0-for-3 in 4 plate appearances with only one walk in three games, he was sent down to the Futures League.

Returning to the first division after 23 days, he received his first opportunity to start. After a hit-by-pitch in his first at-bat in the 2nd inning, he finally recorded his first hit against pitcher Won Jong-hyun in the 3rd inning with two outs and runners on second and third. It was a two-RBI line drive single to center field. When Kim Ju-won came to bat, Go stole second base, achieving his debut hit, RBI, and stolen base all in one inning.

That was not the end. In the top of the 7th with no outs and a runner on first, he hit a powerful ball off opposing pitcher Jeon Jun-pyo on the 8th pitch of a 2-2 count, but it fouled off to the right. A shot of NC manager Lee Ho-jun (50) looking somewhat disappointed appeared on the broadcast screen.

On the 9th pitch, a 142 km/h slider, Go Jun-hwi's bat swung powerfully again, and the ball flew 120 meters, landing in the right-field stands. It was his first home run in his debut. Manager Lee Ho-jun celebrated in the dugout, high-fiving the coaches and clapping repeatedly.

It turned out to be a 'historic' record. According to the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), only three players in history have achieved 'multi-hit (two or more hits) + home run + stolen base' all in their professional starting debut. The first was Shin Sung-sik (65), known as the 'Hakdari first baseman' who was popular in the inaugural season of professional baseball 44 years ago (1982) with OB (now Doosan). The next was Cho Kyung-hwan (54) of Lotte in 1998.

While recording all three achievements in a single game is not uncommon in general, it was not easy to accomplish them in the exciting and nerve-wracking atmosphere of a starting debut.

In a post-game interview, Go Jun-hwi reflected on the home run moment, saying, "Honestly, I couldn't find the ball and sprinted all the way to first base. I thought it would just be a long hit over the right-field wall, but when the first-base coach high-fived me, I thought, 'Ah, it went over.'"

Regarding achieving various debut records all at once, he shared his thoughts: "I was so excited after being called up to the first division last night that I did a lot of image training before going to sleep. I still feel a slight chill on my body, and it feels like a real dream. I look forward to even more from now on."

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*This content was translated by AI.