'With' the only .300-hitting catcher in the league, will Han Jun-su miss the All-Star Game? Power rankings 4th, national team's home plate anchor all on one team: "Even if I don't make it, the fans have always supported me"

*This content was translated by AI.

KIA Tigers catcher Han Jun-su (27) dreamed of making his career debut in the All-Star Game.

Han Jun-su graduated from Gwangju Seoseok Elementary, Gwangju Dongseong Middle, and Gwangju Dongseong High schools. He was selected first overall in the 2018 KBO Rookie Draft by KIA and is now in his ninth professional season as a right-handed batter who bats left-handed. He began receiving regular first-team opportunities starting in the championship season of 2024. While he posted a .307 batting average (88 hits in 287 at-bats) in 115 games in 2024, he struggled in his second full-time season last year, hitting .225 (55 hits in 244 at-bats) in 103 games.

When Han Jun-su met StarNews at Jamsil Baseball Stadium recently, he said, "I didn't meet my own expectations last year, and I think the reason was that I was too ambitious at the plate. Just because you swing hard doesn't mean you'll hit home runs; I was just tensing up unnecessarily and thinking only about getting on base comfortably."

Once he cleared his mind, his performance improved. This season, in 46 games, he has a .311 batting average (38 hits in 122 at-bats), 5 home runs, 18 RBIs, 15 runs scored, a .422 on-base percentage, a .525 slugging percentage, an OPS of 0.947, and a .429 batting average with runners in scoring position, leading the KIA lineup both offensively and defensively.

Han Jun-su explained, "Honestly, it's more about mental strength. There haven't been major technical changes. I just try to stay relaxed, avoid being overly ambitious, and focus on hitting only the pitches I can handle. The result depends on how much I think about the strike zone of each pitcher. I accept that I can't hit every pitch. Even if I don't get a good result in my first at-bat, I keep thinking positively that I'll have a second at-bat."

As a batter, he has performed well and occasionally appears as a pinch hitter or designated hitter instead of catching. As a pinch hitter, he has a .429 average (3 hits in 7 at-bats) with 1 home run, which is excellent. As a designated hitter, he has a .250 average (1 hit in 4 at-bats), which is average. When playing as a catcher, he has a .306 average (34 hits in 111 at-bats) and an OPS of 0.891, which is solid, and there is a reason for this.

Han Jun-su said, "There are days I hit well and days I don't, but when I step up as a designated hitter, I feel a strong sense of pressure to perform. Perhaps because of that, I feel more nervous when playing as a designated hitter than when catching. I think focusing on doing only what I can and swinging without ambition is definitely effective."

According to the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announcement on the 1st, the KIA organization recommended Han Jun-su for the catcher position in the All-Star Game Best 12 fan vote. Normally, being the only .300-hitting catcher in the league with an OPS over 0.900 would guarantee selection, but this year the competition for the All-Star home plate position is unusually fierce.

Candidates include national team catchers Park Dong-won (36, LG Twins) and Kim Hyung-jun (27, NC Dinos), along with Heo In-seo (23, Hanwha Eagles), who has emerged as a power hitter, and Kim Geon-hee (22, Kiwoom Heroes), who has secured a starting role despite his young age. The field is highly competitive.

In particular, Heo In-seo is considered one of the strongest contenders alongside Park Dong-won. In 44 games, Heo has a .289 batting average (35 hits in 121 at-bats), 11 home runs, 32 RBIs, 28 runs scored, a .362 on-base percentage, a .587 slugging percentage, and an OPS of 0.949. Among players with at least 120 plate appearances, he ranks sixth in home runs and fourth in slugging percentage league-wide. Among catchers, he leads in both home runs and slugging percentage.

Park Dong-won, who struggled early in the season, has recently hit .409 (9 hits in 22 at-bats) over his last 10 games, raising his season OPS to 0.797. With such strong candidates, there is a real possibility of being left out.

In response, Han Jun-su said, "For any professional baseball player, the All-Star Game is a place everyone wants to visit. Of course, I would be grateful if the fans voted for me. But I want to focus only on doing my best every day for what I can contribute to the team, with the mindset that 'what if I don't make it?'"

He expressed gratitude not for the short-term attention but for the support received over the past 54 games. Han Jun-su added, "Even if I don't make the All-Star team, I won't be disappointed. Fans are already cheering for me enthusiastically whenever I play, and I am always grateful for that."

He continued, "The manager and coaches have always supported me well, guiding me on how to improve and helping me achieve my current performance. I simply want to show plays that meet the expectations of the fans and the coaching staff. For the rest of the season, I will take good care of my body and do my best to help the team climb to a higher standing."

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*This content was translated by AI.