'Saves Champion to .300 Hitter': Now a Tragic Releasee, Ha Jae-hoon's Desperate Plea: "It's Too Pitying to Quit; If Any Team Would Pick Me Up..."

*This content was translated by AI.

"I feel like I could start playing right away. If any team would pick me up..."

Ha Jae-hoon (36), released by SSG Landers, has reached a turning point in his career. He expressed his determination to extend his playing days, and the club opted for a release that felt more like letting him go rather than pushing him out. All that remains is for him to find a new team.

On the 30th of last month, SSG announced, "To restructure the roster, we are releasing players and acquiring development resources," adding, "The players being released are position player Ha Jae-hoon (36), Lee Jeong-beom (28), pitchers Park Sang-hoo (23) and Choi Soo-ho (26), totaling four individuals."

Ha Jae-hoon, a graduate of Yongma High School, boarded a flight to the United States with dreams beyond the KBO League but spent his time only in the minor leagues before moving to Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He was selected by SK Wyverns (the predecessor of SSG) in the second round of the 2019 rookie draft.

SK viewed Ha Jae-hoon's potential as a pitcher more highly, and from his KBO debut season onward, he secured the closer role, recording 5 wins, 3 losses, 36 saves, and 3 holds to become the league's relief ace. His ERA was just 1.98.

However, shoulder injuries became a problem, and after a long rehabilitation period, he ultimately chose to switch to a position player. Starting as a position player in 2022, Ha Jae-hoon appeared in 60 games and experienced a wire-to-wire championship. The following season, in 77 games, he hit .303 (201 at-bats, 61 hits), with 7 home runs, 35 RBIs, 35 runs scored, an on-base percentage of .374, a slugging percentage of .468, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of .842.

He was disappointed that he could not maintain his upward momentum in 2024. Last year, during spring training, his active hitting impressed manager Lee Seung-yong, but he suffered an injury while fielding during exhibition games and returned home early. After rehabilitation, he failed to regain the form he had at that time. In last year's Futures League, he soared with a .328 batting average, 11 home runs, and 32 RBIs in 49 games, but after being called up with high expectations, he managed only a .143 batting average in 18 first-division games.

Ahead of this season, his position became even more precarious with the acquisition of outfield power hitter Kim Jae-hwan, and he failed to rebound with a .171 batting average in 22 Futures League games.

Although he reached a clear peak by winning the saves champion title in his first season as a pitcher and hitting over .300 after switching to a position player, he has never played a full season due to injuries and poor performance. In a phone interview with StarNews, Ha Jae-hoon said, "That is my first goal. Consistency throughout a season must be the foundation. And since that itself is proof of consistent good performance, I want to try again with that as my target."

He was a hitter on whom Lee Seung-yong, SSG's manager, placed great expectations. He had excellent abilities and a good attitude. However, in SSG, which is undergoing 'remodeling' while looking toward the 2028 Cheongna Dome era, opportunities for a 36-year-old position player were limited.

The sudden news was not unexpected for Ha Jae-hoon either. He explained, "We discussed whether I intended to continue playing as a player, and I said yes. We looked into doing a trade, whether free or otherwise, but when that didn't work out, we decided to proceed with a waiver public disclosure."

He could not easily give up his playing career yet. "While in the minor league, I kept thinking about it. After much thought and deliberation, I made my decision," he said, adding, "I want to continue my playing career, and I felt that it seemed possible."

Last year, he posted somewhat disappointing results in the first division but swung a hot bat in the Futures League. This season, even opportunities in the Futures League have diminished. Ha Jae-hoon admitted, "Since I haven't been playing many games, it's been hard to get my timing right. But my physical condition is good."

This is also the reason for his confidence. He has reduced his weight to 90 kilograms or less, returning to the weight he had at his best in 2023, and built a body capable of playing extensively both on the bases and in the field.

His desire is more urgent than ever. "I feel like I could start playing right away," he said, "but if there's no team to go to, I can't play." He added, "If any team would pick me up, I will go with a grateful heart and show them my hard work, climbing step by step. If I perform well in the minor league and earn recognition, then move up to the first division, I think I need to do even better," he resolved.

Ha Jae-hoon's salary for this season is 60 million won. Considering his age, two children, and the league's average salary level, it is certainly not a large amount. Nevertheless, to make a fresh start, he may have to accept treatment worse than this, but he is fully prepared for that.

"My wife also told me that if I can continue playing, it would be right to do so," Ha Jae-hoon said, "because there should be no regrets." He explained, "She said that even one more year would mean no regrets. It's not because my physical condition is poor or I lack confidence; it just feels too much of a pity to quit."

Although Ha Jae-hoon has lived in Incheon since 2019, he is also considering leaving his family behind. This shows his firm determination. "I have trained more with the development team, and my hitting feel has improved and stabilized. My body has gotten better, allowing me to move more agilely and quickly. Both my strength and speed are fine. In fact, I believe I am even better than younger players. I don't think my physical condition is something that will easily decline, and the coaches have also said so," he appealed.

Ha Jae-hoon now has little time left. A player placed on waivers can sign with another team within seven days. If multiple teams wish to acquire him, priority is given in reverse order of the KBO standings. Once this period passes, Ha Jae-hoon will become a free agent but will be unable to sign with any team for the remainder of this year.

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*This content was translated by AI.