"A hit that grazes the bat becomes a hit → Even a mishit ball reaches 160 km/h" Lee Kang-cheol marvels at Hilliard's monstrous power

*This content was translated by AI.

KT Wiz manager Lee Kang-cheol (60) expressed awe at the monstrous power of foreign batter Sam Hilliard (32), who is helping the team lead the league. Since May, Hilliard has hit four home runs in just seven games, showcasing incredible power.

Manager Lee Kang-cheol expressed amazement at Hilliard's hitting power during a meeting with reporters ahead of the Kiwoom Heroes game held at Gocheok Sky Dome on the 10th. Hilliard delivered a fierce performance in the game against Kiwoom on the 9th, going 4-for-5 with two home runs and three RBIs in five at-bats. Although the team ended in a 6-6 tie, Hilliard's performance was very impressive.

Regarding Hilliard, Manager Lee said, "Once the ball hits the bat, something is bound to happen," and marveled, "Even a mishit ball that isn't a perfect hit clocks in at 160 km/h." He added with a laugh, "The overwhelming (batting speed) numbers are almost a pity. If it connects properly with the bat, by the time you turn your head, the ball is already far away."

In fact, Hilliard also went through an adjustment period after arriving in the unfamiliar KBO League. According to Manager Lee, he faced difficulties with the ABS (automatic ball-strike system) but received corrections from the hitting coaches. His batting average dropped to 0.188 in April, but Manager Lee believed in Hilliard's incredible batting speed. Reflecting on his struggles in April, the manager praised him, saying, "I knew Hilliard was a player with defensive and base-running abilities, so I was able to wait and believe in him."

As May arrived, Hilliard showed that he had fully adjusted. In the game against Kiwoom on the 10th, although he went 0-for-2 and did not add a hit, he drew two walks, demonstrating his keen eye. His May batting statistics show a 0.370 average (10 hits in 27 at-bats) in seven games, with four home runs and seven RBIs. His OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage), a key indicator of offensive production, is an impressive 1.412.

Hilliard's wRC+ (weighted Runs Created Plus), calculated by the baseball statistics site Statiz, stands at 125.7, ranking second in the team behind Jang Sung-woo (127.1). With nine home runs, he is tied for second place in the home run category. He is on par with SSG Landers' Choi Jeong and LG Twins' Austin. The sole leader in home runs is KIA Tigers' Kim Do-young, who has recorded 12 home runs.

Most importantly, it is encouraging that the problem of underperforming foreign batters from the 2025 season has been resolved. KT played the 2025 season with Mel Rojas Jr. and Andrew Stevenson, but both fell short of expectations. Rojas finished with a poor performance of a 0.239 batting average, 14 home runs, and 43 RBIs in 95 games, while Stevenson also failed to secure a contract extension with a 0.262 batting average, three home runs, and 14 RBIs.

Currently, KT is firmly holding the top spot in the standings with 23 wins, one tie, and 12 losses, boasting a winning percentage of 0.657, thanks to Hilliard's hot bat. They lead the second-place LG Twins (22 wins, 14 losses, 0.611 winning percentage) by 1.5 games. Fans are watching closely to see if Hilliard can maintain his current momentum and lead KT to their second championship in franchise history.

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*This content was translated by AI.