'Hwang Young-mok and Park Jun-young, Development Players Rise' Hanwha Signs 'Yeoncheon Miracle' Park Sang-mok with Determination to "Definitely Reach the First Division"

*This content was translated by AI.

Hanwha Eagles have signed another player from the independent league team Yeoncheon Miracle, following Hwang Young-mok. This time, it is outfielder Park Sang-mok.

Yeoncheon Miracle announced on the 26th that it has produced its 13th player to advance to the KBO League. Outfielder Park Sang-mok visited the Yeoncheon County Office on the 26th to express his gratitude after signing a development player contract with Hanwha.

Park Sang-mok and Yeoncheon Miracle manager Kim In-sik visited the office that day, where they were warmly welcomed by Yeoncheon County Vice Mayor Park Jong-il and staff from the County Office's Culture and Sports Division. Park Sang-mok presented a Hanwha Eagles uniform and a baseball autographed by himself, conveying his gratitude to Yeoncheon County for its unwavering support.

Park Sang-mok, a left-handed pitcher and left-handed batter outfielder, graduated from Sinil High School and Hongik University. He joined Yeoncheon Miracle in 2024 with the goal of turning professional. While he was evaluated as an outfielder with a fast speed and wide defensive range since his high school and university days, there were also assessments that his batting needed improvement.

To address this, Park Sang-mok focused on improving his power and increasing bat speed through weight training starting from pre-season winter training. As a result, he recorded 163 plate appearances, 121 at-bats, 48 hits, a batting average of 0.397, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 1.125 in the 2024 Gyeonggi-do League, proving his improved batting ability.

Furthermore, he showcased plays that gained an extra base through wide outfield defense utilizing his speed and aggressive base running, opening up opportunities for his team's offense. In the lineup, he primarily served as a table-setter, and defensively, he took on the key role of center fielder in the center line. In particular, he had a successful season based on his improved batting ability and game impact, but despite his upward trajectory, he had to leave the field temporarily for mandatory military service after the season ended.

Even during his military service, Park Sang-mok did not give up on his dream of turning professional. He continued weight training and individual practice in limited environments to maintain his skills. While preparing to return to the independent league after his discharge without losing his passion for baseball, he received an offer from a Hanwha scout. After passing a test, he signed a development player contract upon his discharge, finally realizing his dream of becoming a professional player.

Park Sang-mok stated, "I have grown physically since my university days in Yeoncheon, and I made great efforts to build power. Through consistent counseling with Manager Kim In-sik, I became clear about my strengths and what role I should play within the team. Following the manager's advice, I changed my body and batting training direction, and I believe my performance and results have completely changed compared to before." He continued, "I sincerely thank Yeoncheon County for providing a good training environment and supporting us to focus solely on sports without worrying about membership fees. I also thank the fans who supported me at Yeoncheon Miracle. I will definitely appear on the first division stage and show you my best."

Yeoncheon County Vice Mayor Park Jong-il said, "I sincerely congratulate Park Sang-mok on joining Hanwha Eagles. We will cheer for him to shine on the professional stage together with the people of Yeoncheon County. We look forward to his wonderful performance in the KBO League first division."

Previously, Hwang Young-mok, who belonged to Yeoncheon Miracle, was selected by Hanwha in the 4th round, 31st pick of the 2024 Rookie Draft, and has since become a key player. Additionally, Park Jun-young, another development player, joined Hanwha this season and made his debut as a temporary starter on the 10th, recording the first-ever debut win by a development player in KBO history. It remains to be seen whether Park Sang-mok will become another successful case of a development player at Hanwha.

Meanwhile, Yeoncheon Miracle, based in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi-do, has demonstrated outstanding competitiveness by achieving four consecutive championships in the Gyeonggi-do League of the independent league, based on the full support of Yeoncheon County, and by winning all independent league tournaments in the 2025 season. In particular, the stable support from local governments and the club's player development system have created synergy, and it is being evaluated as a model case of symbiotic cooperation between local governments and independent league teams.

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*This content was translated by AI.