'0.419→0.245' The burden of a third-year high school student, which hurt more than an ankle injury, Gwangju Ilgo's Jung Hwi-min runs again. "I want to meet senior Oh Myung-jin after doing well." [Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

Jung Hwi-min (19) of Gwangju Ilgo, who drew attention last year as a shortstop with a .419 batting average, is spending an unfamiliar time this year.

Jung Hwi-min is a right-handed batter and right-handed thrower infielder with a height of 176cm and weight of 73kg according to the Korea Baseball and Softball Association (KBSA). Recognized as a shortstop with impressive speed, clocking under 4 seconds from home to first base, and a wide defensive range, he has been a starter since his freshman year.

Last year was a season where he established his value despite the team's poor performance. In 26 games, he recorded a .419 batting average (74 at-bats, 31 hits), 21 RBIs, 16 runs, 7 stolen bases, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 0.997. After his sophomore season, a KBO team scout said, "He has a natural ability to make contact and plays good shortstop defense using his speed. We look forward to seeing what he can do as a junior."

However, the junior season, which began with high expectations, fell short. As of the 24th, in 16 games, he has a .245 batting average (53 at-bats, 13 hits), 5 RBIs, 13 runs, 3 stolen bases, 10 walks, 9 strikeouts, and an OPS of 0.658. Recently, Jung Hwi-min met with StarNews at Gwangju Mudong Baseball Stadium and recalled, "I suffered a deadball to my ankle during the weekend league early in the season, which didn't go well. Now that rehabilitation is almost complete, my condition is improving."

With injuries piling up from the start, the so-called "third-year high school student syndrome" also appeared. This phenomenon refers to promising high school players crumbling under the pressure to perform well ahead of the rookie draft. Jung Hwi-min said, "Last year, as a sophomore, I felt at ease. Rather than trying to do well myself, I focused on creating chances for the seniors, which allowed me to concentrate on baseball." He added, "This year, honestly, the pressure to perform well was significant. I needed to shake it off, but I couldn't early on. Still, I think the rehabilitation process helped me ease that burden a bit," he smiled.

While the player himself attributed the larger reason to mental pressure, the ankle injury lasted longer than expected. Initial examinations right after the deadball incident in late March showed no major issues, but subsequent detailed exams revealed a minor fracture. Jung Hwi-min spent some time blaming himself while playing through a minor fracture that even professional players find difficult. Gwangju Ilgo's head coach Jo Yun-chae praised his character, saying, "Hwi-min is a kid who would survive even without rules," but this very kindness ended up holding him back.

Nevertheless, he completed rehabilitation with an extraordinary desire and passion for baseball. He is a unique case who fell in love with baseball by watching the late Choi Dong-won, a name unfamiliar to many current players.

Jung Hwi-min shyly smiled and said, "I already loved baseball, but I started playing when a friend from my elementary school academy told me I could get autographs from players if I joined Little League. I really admired Choi Dong-won back then. Although I never met him personally, I saw videos of the KBO Legends 40 and the movie Perfect Game, and I thought he was truly a great figure."

Even after settling on shortstop, Park Chan-ho (31, Doosan Bears) from the KIA Tigers era always stood out to him. Jung Hwi-min explained, "Shortstop is a position that requires good communication with teammates and the ability to cover all positions. Since the range to cover is wide, I felt it was attractive because there's a lot to show."

He continued, "Although he's now with Doosan, I admire Park Chan-ho's defensive style. My defensive range is wide, and my arm isn't bad. I'm also confident in my base running and tend to be bold. In batting, I hit fast balls well and make solid contact, so I've taken Park Chan-ho as my role model."

His diligence is gradually showing in results. In the latter half of the weekend league, during the final stages of his injury recovery, he recorded a .316 batting average (19 at-bats, 6 hits) in 6 games. There is no more struggling Jung Hwi-min during the Golden Sajakgi tournament. He coldly pointed out the reasons for his slump: "During the Golden Sajakgi, due to the injury, I couldn't put enough power into my swing, and my upper body collapsed a lot. My mind became anxious, so instead of feeling like I was hitting the ball and then running, I tried to hit the ball and immediately run to first base to create results."

There are still two months until the 2027 KBO Rookie Draft. In this year's draft, where there are few position players, the "shortstop with a .400 average" has enough time in two months to raise his value again.

Jung Hwi-min expressed his determination: "If I go to the KBO League, I'd like to meet shortstops like Park Chan-ho and Park Sung-han (SSG). As a batter, I want to face starting pitcher Won Tae-in (Samsung) and closer Kim Seo-hyun (Hanwha). I want to experience Won Tae-in's game management and pitch selection firsthand. Also, since I'm confident against fast balls, I want to hit Kim Seo-hyun's fastball."

An unexpected name also came up. He listed Doosan infielder Oh Myung-jin (25) as someone he wants to meet. Oh Myung-jin graduated from Daejeon Sinheung Elementary, Hanbat Middle, and Seonggwang High, making him six years older than Jung Hwi-min, which was surprising. Jung Hwi-min responded, "I met Oh Myung-jin when I briefly trained in Seoul. I'm shy and didn't talk much, but he took great care of me even though we were meeting for the first time. I'm grateful."

Oh Myung-jin, who played his first full-time season last year, became a topic of discussion for enjoying reading and posting book reviews on his blog. He is well-known in the baseball community as a diligent and passionate player.

Jung Hwi-min said, "From the moment we first met and talked, I felt he was a really good person. We even hit balls together, and he hit them so well and looked cool. I'm not sure if it's true, but I felt that's what positive influence is." He added, "Oh Myung-jin hasn't played as much as expected this year, but I always watch his games and cheer for him. I really want to meet him once he's in the pros."

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*This content was translated by AI.