"I visualize the batted ball in my mind." At just 21, such attention to detail... Following Kim Ha-seong, Kiwoom shortstop Kwon Hyuk-bin takes on the challenge [Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

Kiwoom Heroes' Kwon Hyuk-bin (21) has stepped up to fill the vacant shortstop position left after his role model, Kim Ha-seong (31·Atlanta Braves).

Kwon Hyuk-bin, a right-handed batter and right-handed thrower infielder who graduated from Chilseong Elementary, Gyeong sang Middle School, and Daegu High School, was selected by Kiwoom in the 7th round (61st overall) of the 2025 KBO Rookie Draft. Leveraging his natural baseball instincts and speed, he also contributed to the Phoenix Cup victory as a right fielder after transferring during his sophomore year at Daegu High, despite it not being his primary position.

Son Kyung-ho, head coach of Daegu High School, told StarNews: "Hyuk-bin has natural baseball instincts from the start. His defensive ability was particularly innate even during high school. Though not flashy, he made precise plays suited to each situation. He is fast and a strong defender, fulfilling his role in any position."

He continued, "When he moved up to his senior year as the starting shortstop, there were many moments that left people wondering, 'How does he make such defensive plays?' Once, during a game against Cheongyang Baseball (now Bulkkot Baseball), even when his footwork was off, he stepped on second base and immediately threw accurately to first base to complete a double play. Coach Lee Gwang-gil, who witnessed that play, said, 'He is at the top level for high school players.'"

Kwon Hyuk-bin's instincts shone again in the Jamsil LG Twins game on the 28th. In the bottom of the 4th inning with two outs and runners on first and second, after LG had taken a 2-1 lead, he fielded a ground ball hit by Koo Bon-hyuk and chose to throw to third base instead of first, preventing further advancement. He then directly handled Park Hae-min's grounder as well, cutting off any additional scoring momentum. Such vision and composure are not typical for a 21-year-old shortstop in his second year.

Where did Kwon Hyuk-bin acquire such attention to detail? Ahead of the Jamsil LG game on the 29th, he told StarNews: "Before the batter even swings, I visualize the situation in my mind so I can move immediately when the ball is hit. My coaches and managers from my early days taught me this, and Coach Moon Chan-joong often emphasizes it as well."

He does not rely solely on instinct. Based on the batter analysis and key pitch types provided by the coaching staff before games, he predicts the direction of batted balls. Kwon Hyuk-bin explained: "The coaches set my defensive positions, but depending on whether it's a fastball or breaking ball, I sometimes feel where the ball is likely to go. If I move one or two steps in advance at those times, the ball often comes exactly where I expect."

Regarding improving his defensive skills, Kwon Hyuk-bin believes there are no shortcuts. He stated: "When we visit different stadiums, coaches sometimes limit fungo practice for physical management reasons. However, ground conditions and bounce patterns vary from stadium to stadium. I believe it's essential to understand these characteristics to easily adjust to the ball's bounce, so I try to take as many fungos as possible before games."

Thanks to this approach, he has become accustomed even to the Gocheok Dome, where veteran infielders say the ground is tricky due to low and fast bounces. Kwon Hyuk-bin said: "Gocheok Dome is where we practice daily, so even though the ball moves quickly there, I've adapted through constant training." He added with a smile: "I haven't fully adjusted to other stadiums yet, so I'm doing as much defensive practice as possible even during away games."

For Kwon Hyuk-bin, Gocheok Dome holds significant personal connection since it is where his role model, Kim Ha-seong, played. Kwon recalled: "I've studied Kim Ha-seong's defense extensively since I was young. Watching him move made me think, 'I want to do the same,' and I imitated his actions of catching and throwing the ball many times."

He continued: "As the weather gets hotter and physical fatigue sets in, it sometimes becomes difficult to follow the batted ball without realizing it. But that's exactly why I have deep affection for the shortstop position and confidence in my defense. My current goal is to build stamina and improve my speed and first-step start to achieve a wide defensive range like Senior Kim Ha-seong."

The young boy who started playing shortstop admiring Kim Ha-seong has now formed a keystone combination with Seo Geon-chang (37), who once played alongside him. Kwon Hyuk-bin smiled and said: "Senior Seo Geon-chang always speaks positively to me. He never criticizes me directly, and even when I make a throwing error, he covers for me. So I trust my throws, but I think I still need to earn more trust from him."

His professional journey has not been smooth. In middle school, his small stature made him less noticeable, and this season began as a development player. He even struggled to adjust to the pitches of first-division pitchers. However, Coach Son did not worry. He said: "Hyuk-bin is the type of player who seems unobtrusive but gets things done on his own. His contact ability was also good. I believed that once he gained strength, he could certainly hit the pitches of first-division pitchers."

Nothing has changed even in his professional life. Throughout the off-season, Kwon Hyuk-bin commuted between school and training, dedicating himself fully. He didn't take even a single day off during this All-Star break. The results are gradually showing: over his recent 10 games, he is displaying consistent hitting performance with a batting average of .355 (11 hits in 31 at-bats).

Kwon Hyuk-bin said with a smile: "I didn't consider it time to rest. I was mentally struggling during the first half, and just sitting still wouldn't solve anything. I thought I needed to find solutions by doing something, so I practiced without taking a single day off in Daegu." He added: "Certainly, in my early days in the first division, I didn't see many pitches, which caused late timing and overly large swings. When entering the second half, the coaches suggested shortening my swing, and fortunately, it seems to be yielding results."

As Kwon Hyuk-bin contributes to Kiwoom's rising momentum in the second half, there are already expectations that he is Kim Ha-seong's successor. Since Kim Ha-seong left for Major League Baseball in 2021, the Kiwoom shortstop position had been virtually vacant. Kwon Hyuk-bin's emergence has been like a welcome rain after a drought.

After Kim Ha-seong departed for MLB in 2021, Kiwoom failed to find a definitive starting shortstop. This is why expectations are focused on Kwon Hyuk-bin. He stated firmly: "I don't yet consider this spot as my own. For the remaining two months, I must earn the trust of the manager and fans so that I have a chance to play here again next year."

He continued: "No matter what, I will strive even harder for the remaining two months. This year is about showing hope for next year. I will work hard to ensure I can start in the final game of this season as well."

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*This content was translated by AI.