'Doosan→Lotte' 37-year-old outfielder who left KBO three years ago announces feelings on moving to China: "I heard people ask, 'How long will you keep playing baseball?'"

*This content was translated by AI.

Kuk Hae-sung (37, currently with Hwaseong Coryo), who previously played for the Doosan Bears and Lotte Giants, has directly shared his thoughts on joining the Chinese Professional Baseball League.

On the evening of the 22nd, Kuk Hae-sung announced via his social media, "I have decided to take on the challenge of playing as a player in the Chinese Professional Baseball League."

Recently, a Chinese Professional Baseball (CPB) tryout was held at the Sunshine Sports Park baseball stadium in Miryang, Gyeongsangnam-do. The tryout, held over two days on the 11th and 12, saw managers, coaching staff, and scouts from CPB teams directly participate to assess the potential of Korean players.

CPB played its inaugural season with four teams from December 2025 to January 2026. According to CPB officials, six teams will participate in the summer league from August to September 2026. It is reported that the winter league, held later in the year, will expand to include two additional teams, bringing the total to eight teams. After preliminarily selecting about 60 players through applications, Kuk Hae-sung is understood to have recently received a notice of acceptance.

This marks his first update since leaving the KBO League after the 2023 season, three years later. Kuk Hae-sung began his professional career in 2008 with a developmental contract with Doosan after graduating from Gunsan Jungang Elementary, Dong Incheon Middle, and Incheon High schools. Known for his strong physique that allowed him to pitch in high school, he was a switch-hitter with power-hitting potential who drew high expectations. However, he was unable to maintain consistent hitting throughout his career and remained a backup outfielder. His career peak was in 2016, when he recorded a .278 batting average (42 hits in 151 at-bats) and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 0.798 in 58 games.

After the 2021 season, he went through the independent league and attempted a comeback with Lotte in 2023, but ultimately played only six games in the first division. His career statistics in the KBO total 220 games, with a .238 batting average (101 hits in 424 at-bats), 11 home runs, 67 RBIs, 65 runs scored, and 6 stolen bases, along with a .320 on-base percentage and a .368 slugging percentage. Nevertheless, he did not give up on baseball, went through the independent league, and is now challenging the professional stage once again. According to the CPB Korean representative side, the compensation for selected players is at a minimum monthly salary of 20,000 yuan (approximately 4.3 million won), with the team covering all round-trip airfare, living expenses, accommodation, and visa issuance fees.

Kuk Hae-sung stated, "I have not yet let go of the dopamine of playing baseball and competing. My desire to play baseball purely was greater than the opportunity to earn money. I am not the type who wants to become famous, nor do I have a career that would put my name in the spotlight, so it is embarrassing, but I received a lot of support."

He continued, "I did not want to quit because of my age. I had a strong desire to play many games in a new environment to see how far I could go as a player. I felt that if not now, it might never happen." He added, "People at that age often asked, 'How long will you keep playing baseball?' but the silent support became a great strength for me. I hope that if you continue to support me silently every day, it will be a great help."

Below is the full text of Kuk Hae-sung's statement on his move to the Chinese Professional Baseball League.

It has been a while since I wrote a long message. Recently, my situation is that I have not yet let go of the dopamine of playing baseball and competing. Thanks to the great consideration from Coach Shin Hyeong-sik and Coach Lee Hee-seong of Hwaseong Coryo, I am working hard with younger players at the Hwaseong Coryo independent club. There have been many opportunities to play baseball recently, and I decided to take the challenge of playing as a player in the Chinese Professional Baseball League.

My desire to play baseball purely was greater than the opportunities to earn money, which is why I ended up going to China again to play baseball. I am not the type who wants to become famous, nor do I have a career that would put my name in the spotlight, so it is actually embarrassing, but I am posting this because articles have appeared and many people are supporting me.

Although I am a bit older, I did not want to quit because of my age, and it was a choice that required considerable courage. However, I had a strong desire to play many games again in a new environment to see how far I could go as a player, and I still have many regrets, so I felt that if not now, it might never happen.

I am grateful for every warm word you have sent me. Although people around me often asked, "How long will you keep playing baseball at that age?" the silent support became a great strength for me. My personality is introverted, so I could not express everything directly, but I have always kept your feelings in my heart. I have written a bit about my recent situation after a long time, and I will continue my baseball journey silently. I hope that if you continue to support me silently every day, it will be a great help.

Thank you always.

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*This content was translated by AI.