*This content was translated by AI.
Hanwha Eagles manager Kim Kyung-moon (68) deployed an aggressive tactical move to score more runs, and it hit the mark perfectly. One of those cards was Han Ji-yun (20), a second-year professional outfielder who started his career as a catcher.
On the 21st, Hanwha defeated the LG Twins 15-11 in a home game at Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark during the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular season. The dramatic comeback victory erased a nine-run deficit and snapped a six-game losing streak.
The promising slugger Hanwha had been counting on showcased his strengths once again in the most dramatic game of the season. Starting as the third hitter and left fielder, Han Ji-yun went 3-for-6 with two RBIs and two runs scored, playing a key role in the stunning comeback.
Hanwha's lineup was aggressive from the start. The team moved corner outfielder Moon Hyun-bin to center field and placed Han Ji-yun, who is now in his second year as an outfielder after transitioning from catcher, at left field. Before the game, Manager Kim explained the reasoning: "We've been trailing by a lot of runs recently, so I decided we needed to score more. In terms of offense, I moved Moon Hyun-bin to center field."
It turned out to be the necessary decision. Starting pitcher Bruce Zimmermann collapsed after just 1/3 inning, allowing seven runs, and Hanwha fell behind early by a large margin. LG added two more runs in the third inning, extending the lead to 0-9.
However, Hanwha's lineup responded to the manager's expectations without delay. Han Ji-yun joined the momentum. In the fifth inning, after Moon Hyun-bin hit an RBI double, Han Ji-yun followed with a single up the line to create scoring opportunities. In the sixth, after Moon Hyun-bin's single to right field, Han Ji-yun launched a double down the left-field line, creating bases-loaded chances, which were capitalized on by Kang Baek-ho's two-RBI sacrifice fly.
In the seventh inning, Hanwha finally tied the game at 11-11. Then in the eighth, Kim Tae-yeon hit a go-ahead RBI single, followed by Moon Hyun-bin's two-RBI double, and Han Ji-yun added an RBI single up the line to seal the 15-11 victory.
After the game, Han Ji-yun reflected: "I feel great to win a game where we were down by a lot early on. Today, regardless of outs, the lineup kept connecting even with two outs and we scored runs. After the seventh inning, I felt like we wouldn't lose."
He is not yet a fully developed hitter. Han Ji-yun, who graduated from Gwangmyeong Elementary, Hwimoon Middle School, and Gyeonggi High School, was selected by Hanwha in the third round (22nd overall) of the 2025 Rookie Draft as a right-handed batter with great power potential. Standing at 188 cm and weighing 98 kg, his power-hitting ability was recognized early on. In high school, he played catcher and led Gyeonggi High School to the semifinals in the Cheongryonggi Cup and the runner-up position in the Bonghwangdae Cup. As a sophomore, he won the Star Award at the "2023 Futures Star Awards" organized by StarNews, defeating Gangneung High School's Lee Yul-ye (20, SSG).
Now in professional baseball, he has put down his catcher's mitt and is walking a new path as an outfielder. While his power hitting remains a clear strength, adapting to various fastballs including four-seamers, two-seamers, and cutters is still a work in progress. In a previous interview with StarNews last month, Han Ji-yun said, "I believe I become a more attractive player when I hit extra-base hits like doubles or home runs rather than singles," but added, "However, I shouldn't swing too hard just to hit for power. I'm still adapting to the pitches thrown by first-division pitchers."
That's why today's three hits were even more meaningful. In the fifth inning, when Song Seung-gi lost control and his cutter was located in the middle of the plate, Han Ji-yun immediately swung and hit a single up the line. In the sixth, he lifted a dropping slider from Kim Young-woo for a double down the left-field line, showing his ability to handle breaking balls. In his final at-bat in the bottom of the eighth with two outs and runners on second base, he picked out a breaking ball, hit it hard, and connected a 143 km/h fastball into an RBI single up the line, demonstrating his growth.
With so much focus on handling current batters and fielding incoming balls, there's no time to feel the weight of batting third in the lineup. Han Ji-yun smiled broadly: "Honestly, I just go out without overthinking. If I think too much about it, I might get tense, so I try not to worry about it too much. I just treat myself as the third hitter in the team's order and approach each game accordingly."
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*This content was translated by AI.
