'Struggled at 10% in Army' Samsung's Kim Hyun-jun makes a stunning comeback → Batting average explodes to 0.545 after call-up! "I think I played well because I was able to eat with a relaxed mind"

*This content was translated by AI.

Samsung Lions outfielder Kim Hyun-jun (24) led the team to a four-game winning streak by writing a stunning comeback story after his military discharge. He pointed out that the secret to his turnaround was being able to relax, recalling the difficult days with the Army Baseball Team (National Defense Force), where he struggled to find his hitting rhythm.

On the 5th, Kim Hyun-jun started as the third hitter and center fielder in an away game against SSG Landers at Incheon SSG Landers Field during the '2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League'. He played a key role with 3 hits in 4 at-bats, 4 RBIs, 2 walks, and 2 runs scored. Notably, it has been a full 703 days since Kim Hyun-jun recorded three or more hits in a single game, which last happened on August 1, 2024, against LG in Jamsil (4 hits).

On this day, Kim Hyun-jun showed his instinct for getting on base by drawing a walk from his first at-bat in the top of the first inning. Then, with Samsung leading 1-0 in the bottom of the second inning and two outs with the bases loaded, he smashed a three-run double that completely split the gap between left and center field off a 146 km/h fastball on the fourth pitch from opposing starter Kim Geon-woo.

Kim Hyun-jun's bat did not cool down. In the bottom of the fourth inning with one out and runners on first and second, he delivered another clean RBI single against Kim Geon-woo to make it 5-0. Coming up as the leadoff hitter in the top of the sixth inning, Kim added another hit, and in his fifth at-bat of the seventh inning, he drew another walk to complete a 'five-on-base game'. Samsung, riding on Kim's offensive firepower, crushed SSG 13-3 and surged ahead with four consecutive wins.

In fact, this kind of performance by Kim Hyun-jun this season was a comeback no one could easily predict. He joined Samsung in the second round of the 2021 draft as the 83rd overall pick, drawing high expectations, but he enlisted in the Army in December 2024 and suffered severe hitting struggles with the Army team, batting just 0.175 (7 hits in 40 at-bats) in 16 Futures League games this season.

However, since being discharged on June 1 and immediately called up to the first division on the 26th, he has shown a completely different side. His performance in seven games after the call-up stands at 6 hits in 11 at-bats, translating to a batting average of 0.545. He has recorded as many as 7 RBIs, and his OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) reaches an impressive 1.279. These numbers instantly wash away the regrets from his Army days.

After the game, he honestly opened up about his struggles during Kim Hyeon-jun-eun (SVP) days. He said, "It was a bit tough at the Army," and added, "I can't quite believe this kind of performance yet; it's hard to imagine. I was worried if I could play well again, but so far, I think I've just been lucky and things are going well," while calmly smiling.

He also maturely accepted the fact that Samsung manager Park Jin-man (50) had predicted right after his discharge that it would take some time before he was called up to the first division. Kim Hyun-jun said, "I was well aware of that talk. At the time, I was also well aware of my situation," but added, "On the contrary, I think I played even better because I was able to relax and perform in a good environment." He further noted, "I always remember having poor results when I got excited, so I try to maintain my composure at all times."

Regarding the fierce competition for outfield spots on Samsung, he said, "It would be great if I could break through the competition and win, but the veterans are playing too well. I think an opportunity will come someday, but while trying to play aggressively in my heart within the given situation, I try to maintain my composure as much as possible." He also shared, "I am so happy playing baseball because I can develop as a player by playing with skilled players on a strong team."

Kim Hyun-jun, who also showed excellent defense on this day, said, "I was able to play good defense thanks to my teammates (Park) Seung-gyu and (Kim) Sung-yoon helping me a lot in the outfield," passing the credit to his colleagues. When asked what words of encouragement he received from Koo Ja-wook, who missed the game due to shoulder discomfort, he smiled and said, "He just told me, 'Good job.'"

Manager Park Jin-man also praised Kim Hyun-jun, saying, "Thanks to him, we were able to seize the momentum. When his three-run double exploded in the bottom of the second inning with two outs and bases loaded, it gave us a big boost." He added, "He played the role of a problem solver at crucial moments from the third spot in the batting order," giving him a thumbs-up.

Kim Hyun-jun, who has risen as Samsung's savior after overcoming his slump, said, "The priority is to finish the second half without injury," and vowed with determination, "My goal is to continue playing well by fulfilling my role whenever the team needs me in the second half."

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*This content was translated by AI.