"I want to be someone's role model": Gwangju Ilgo's Bae Jong-yoon, who rejected being the second someone, dreams of reuniting with LG's Kim Young-woo [Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

Bae Jong-yoon (18), an outfielder for Gwangju Ilgo, expressed his hope to be someone's role model while aiming for a top pick in the 2027 KBO Rookie Draft.

Bae Jong-yoon is a right-handed batter, left-handed thrower outfielder with a lean build measuring 185cm in height and 82kg in weight according to the Korea Baseball and Softball Association (KBSA). His strength lies in his contact ability. He is one of the center field prospects expected to be selected early, alongside Gyeongnam High's Park Bo-seung (18), Yushin High's Jo Hee-seong (18), Seoul High's Kwon Sang-hyeok (18), and Deoksu High's Hwang Sung-hyun (18).

As of the conclusion of games on the 13th, he is maintaining a career high school batting average of 0.347. In his third year of high school, over 21 games, he has recorded a batting average of 0.342 (76 at-bats, 26 hits), 1 double, 6 triples, 3 home runs, 20 RBIs, 21 runs scored, 8 stolen bases, an on-base percentage of 0.416, a slugging percentage of 0.632, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 1.048.

A KBO team scout told StarNews, "Bae Jong-yoon has been inconsistent this year, with fluctuations in timing and balance. However, he fundamentally has a smooth swing and handles breaking balls well. Considering his physical abilities, arm strength, and speed, he could improve further if he receives professional training in the pros."

The inconsistent performance was also a concern for the player himself. Bae Jong-yoon, who recently met with StarNews at Gwangju Ilgo, said, "I felt good during the weekend league early in the season and had a desire to show something at the E-Mart Cup. But I wasn't hitting well, which caused anxiety, and it was similar during the Golden Saja Cup."

He added, "Talking with the coach during games helps calm my mind. The head coach and coaches tell me it's okay if I don't hit, so I should just swing freely. Having Kim Sun-bin (Kim) and other good hitters on my team also helps."

Despite fluctuating batting conditions, he is approaching a batting average of 0.350. This indicates his inherent talent is outstanding. He began his baseball journey because he enjoyed playing in the fifth grade of elementary school. He played both center field and pitching due to his strong arm, and even after focusing solely on center field upon entering high school, he stood out from his first year.

Bae Jong-yoon said, "Playing center field has become fun. It uses the widest space in the outfield, and there is a charm in chasing and catching balls from long distances. In terms of defense, I look up to LG's Park Hae-min and KIA's Kim Ho-ryeong. Both start differently, but they get to the landing spot quickly and have no unnecessary movements in any play."

Originally, he was known as a five-tool player with fast feet, running 50m in the late 6-second range during middle school. Even compared to this year's center field competitors, his 6 triples are significantly higher.

Bae Jong-yoon said with a smile, "This winter, I focused my training on improving my defensive judgment and bat timing, which I felt were lacking. My goal was to strike out less, like Senior Lee Jung-hoo. I liked how Senior Lee Jung-hoo hits the bat very well and plays defense with great sense."

However, becoming the second Lee Jung-hoo or the second Park Hae-min was not even on the table. Bae Jong-yoon said, "If I go to the KBO League, I want to face KIA's Kim Do-young and Hanwha's Moon Hyun-bin. Both have excellent bats, so I want to meet them and ask them questions." He continued, "That doesn't mean I have them as role models. I want to be someone's role model," he said emphatically.

His desire to challenge the professional stage was greater than his desire to meet the seniors he admires. Bae Jong-yoon cited Seoul High's right-handed fireballer Kim Young-woo (21, LG Twins) as the most difficult player he faced during his three years of high school.

Bae Jong-yoon said, "I faced Senior Kim Young-woo once during my first year. When I bunted in my first at-bat, I thought I could hit him, but in the next at-bat, I couldn't. His fastball was harder to hit than I expected. If I go back to the pros, I really want to get a hit off Senior Kim Young-woo." He added, "I also want to face Samsung's Won Tae-in. His breaking balls are truly excellent, and his control is great, so I want to try hitting that pitch."

To achieve this, professional entry comes first. Bae Jong-yoon stated, "I still have many shortcomings. I need to maintain my balance when the bat comes through, but my posture sometimes collapses, resulting in many ground balls. Also, after two strikes, I tend to be too cautious, leading to many strikeouts. I want to improve these aspects well and perform well in the remaining tournaments. I want to show confident plays without regrets and hope to be picked at a high draft order."

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*This content was translated by AI.