'80 million won signing bonus' 19-year-old rookie hits 'historic home run'... summoning Shin Sung-sik from 1982 [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 did not appear to have a significant 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, successfully making the opening day roster. However, he was sent down to the Futures League after recording just one walk in four at-bats across three games with no hits.

Returning to the 1st team after 23 days, he was given 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 double to center field. When Kim Ju-won came to bat, Go Jun-hwi 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 went foul to the right. Lee Ho-jun, NC's manager (50), was captured on the broadcast screen with a look of disappointment.

On the subsequent 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 continuously.

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) of OB (now Doosan) in the inaugural season of professional baseball in 1982. 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, 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 1st team last night that I did a lot of image training before going to sleep. I still feel a slight chill on my skin, and it feels like a real dream. I look forward to even more in the future."

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*This content was translated by AI.