Hanwha trade proves why we didn't need to do it. '8 pitches to 11 pitches' is truly sticky... A successor to 'Yong-kyu Play' has been born.

*This content was translated by AI.

Hanwha had been deeply troubled by the lack of a center fielder who had firmly secured the position until last season. There were always many candidates, leading to discussions about trades or free agent (FA) signings to secure an A-level center fielder.

However, it seems such worries may no longer be necessary. This is because rookie Oh Jae-won (19) continues to show remarkable growth.

Oh Jae-won has recently been given the opportunity to start in four consecutive games. On the 6th against the Lotte Giants, he remained silent with 2 at-bats and no hits, but he drew 2 walks to achieve multi-on-base opportunities. Then, on the 7th against Lotte, he delivered an outstanding performance with 4 hits in 6 at-bats and 3 runs scored.

Based on this performance, Oh Jae-won earned a starting spot in the game against the KIA Tigers on the 8th, the day after the Monday (8th) rest day. The result was 1 hit in 4 at-bats and 1 RBI.

Then, on the 10th against KIA, although he ended with 3 at-bats and no hits, he drew 2 walks to achieve multi-on-base opportunities. More importantly, the process was impressive. His ability to persistently harass opposing pitchers stood out.

Starting as the leadoff hitter and center fielder, Oh Jae-won stood out from his first at-bat in the bottom of the 1st inning. He drew a walk after forcing KIA's starting pitcher Shirakawa to throw 8 pitches. He then scored the team's first run by crossing home plate during Moon Hyun-bin's three-run home run.

In the 2nd inning, he was out on a fly ball to left field on the 2nd pitch. What stood out even more was the bottom of the 4th. With no outs and no runners on base, Oh Jae-won stepped up to the plate for his third at-bat. This time, he engaged in an intense battle that went up to 11 pitches. After recording 5 foul balls and even showcasing a "cut" technique, he drew a walk to reach base. It was like watching the past 'Yong-kyu Play.' Opposing pitcher Shirakawa, too, had no choice but to leave the mound after finishing the at-bat with Oh Jae-won.

In the 6th inning, Oh Jae-won was out on a fly ball to left field on the 7th pitch. Then, in the 8th inning, he was picked up on a ground ball to second base on the 3rd pitch, concluding his batting performance for the day.

Oh Jae-won has appeared in 53 games this season, recording a batting average of 0.200 (17 hits in 85 at-bats), 2 doubles, 5 RBIs, 22 runs scored, 3 stolen bases (1 failed), 11 walks, and 13 strikeouts. His slugging percentage is 0.224, on-base percentage is 0.292, and OPS (on-base plus slugging) is 0.516. His batting average over the last 10 games is 0.316. Since entering the opening day roster, he has never been removed from the first-division roster even once.

Oh Jae-won, who graduated from Yushin High School, was selected as the 3rd overall pick in the 1st round of the 2026 Rookie Draft. While he may not yet show a perfect performance as a rookie, it is clear that he continues to demonstrate growth.

Oh Jae-won is a recipient of the Star Award in the baseball category of the 2025 Futures Star Awards. At the time, he received high praise, including evaluations such as "one of the top amateur outfielders" and "a center field resource with a robust physique and excellent abilities in hitting, fielding, and base running, making him an immediate asset. He can be utilized as a pinch runner and defensive replacement at the professional level. He has good plate vision and contact skills, and his ability to judge batted balls is also at a high level." The question remains: what kind of performance will Oh Jae-won show in the remainder of the season? Expectations from Hanwha fans are rising.

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*This content was translated by AI.