*This content was translated by AI.
"The most important thing is trust and consistent usage."
Lee Kang-cheol (60), the KT Wiz manager in his eighth year as a professional team leader and with a championship title (2021) to his name, expressed a firm conviction that other teams would do well to take note. The comments concerned left-handed outfielder Won Jun Choi (29), who has joined KT this season and is hitting with great power.
Ahead of the match against the Doosan Bears at Seoul Jamsil Stadium on the 26th, Manager Lee evaluated Won Jun Choi's secret to success: "He is a player with exceptional talent, and the fact that he is not benched for a single failure is perhaps the most significant factor."
He added, "This applies to everyone. If you were to bench Kim Hyun-soo (38, KT) or Choi Hyung-woo (43, Samsung Lions) for a single failure, how could they perform well? Won Jun Choi would think, 'Oh, if I fail, I'll be benched,' and that mindset would hinder him. Looking ahead and giving players time is beneficial for them. It also helps them avoid becoming impatient." He stated this firmly.
After attending Seoul High School, Won Jun Choi was selected third overall in the second round of the 2016 rookie draft by the KIA Tigers. In July 2025, he was traded to the NC Dinos. Following the previous season, he obtained free agent (FA) status and signed a four-year contract worth up to 4.8 billion won with KT.
Excluding his 2022 season with the military service team, Won Jun Choi has filled the required plate appearances in only three seasons: 2021 and 2024 (both with KIA) and 2025 (with NC). He has never posted a batting average above .300. His highest batting average was .295 in 2021, and last season he hit .242 in 126 games.
However, this season, under Manager Lee Kang-cheol's full trust, he has missed only one of the team's 48 games. He has been included in the starting lineup as either the leadoff or second batter in all 47 games he has played.
The effect of being a regular starter is remarkable. As of the 26th, Won Jun Choi leads the league with a .370 batting average, surpassing SSG Landers' Park Sung-han (.369) by a single point. With 71 hits, he also leads the league, five ahead of Austin (LG Twins) and Park Sung-han (both with 66 hits). He has 12 stolen bases, tying for third place.
In the Doosan game, he was retired on a fly ball to the second baseman in the top of the first inning and on a fly ball to the center fielder in the top of the third. However, in the bottom of the fifth with two outs, he hit a solo home run to left-center field off opposing starter Choi Min-seok. It was a valuable blast while the team held a narrow 1-0 lead. Later, in the bottom of the ninth, he hit his third home run of the season, a solo shot to left field off Lee Yong-chan, experiencing the joy of a multi-home run game for the first time since his debut.
Despite being a table-setter, he also possesses clutch power, ranking tied for 15th in the league with 28 RBIs. Manager Lee Kang-cheol expressed satisfaction, saying, "As long as we can produce runs from the eighth and ninth spots, Won Jun Choi's presence ensures big innings will happen frequently."
After the game on the 26th, Won Jun Choi conveyed his thoughts through the team: "Hitting my first multi-home run game was meaningful. Most importantly, I was happy to deliver when the first home run mattered. I wasn't aiming for the second home run, but I got lucky and made solid contact." He added, "I didn't perform well in my first two at-bats, but Coach Yu Han-jun and Coach Kim Kang provided significant technical and mental support for the remaining at-bats to achieve good results. Their guidance during training has also been a great help, leading to positive outcomes, which makes me very happy."
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*This content was translated by AI.
