"The gold medal is now in the past... I am still lacking" The 24-year-old national team catcher remained endlessly calm despite praise as a "hidden MVP" [Incheon On-Site Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

He won the gold medal at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, served as the starting catcher for the national team, and even received high praise as a "hidden MVP." However, Jo Hyeong-woo (24, SSG Landers) was already looking not at the national team emblem, but toward his affiliated club.

Jo Hyeong-woo, who returned to his club on the 29th of last month, had an endlessly calm expression. Although the afterglow of the Asian Games five-peat might still linger, every word he spoke was serious.

When meeting with reporters at the time, Jo Hyeong-woo said regarding the Cheongna Dome era that will begin in 2028, "I think any player on our team would have a big dream of being part of the Cheongna Dome era. I also strongly want to be a key figure at that time." He added, "Since I will spend much more time with the team going forward, I want to help the team win and firmly secure my position. I want to be the master of the Cheongna Dome."

Curious about the reason for his calmness, I asked again two days later. In response, Jo Hyeong-woo stated ahead of the game against the LG Twins at Incheon SSG Landers Field on the 1st, "I keep thinking that I absolutely must not get carried away. The gold medal was a personal success for me, and right now, my top priority is SSG. That is why I am calm. The gold medal is now in the past for me."

Just days earlier, he had been wearing the national team emblem. Jo Hyeong-woo swung a hot bat in five games at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, recording a .417 batting average (5 hits in 12 at-bats), one home run, six RBIs, and an OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) of 1.096. He also hit his first career grand slam during the group stage against Hong Kong.

His performance in his native role as a catcher received high evaluation, comparable to his hitting. Despite working with many pitchers for the first time, he led the national team's pitcher's mound with stable blocking and game management. Oh Seung-hwan (44), who served as a commentator for the tournament, later named Jo Hyeong-woo the "hidden MVP" of the final on his YouTube channel, highly praising his blocking and pitcher handling.

The growth was also evident to the eyes of his club's manager. SSG Manager Lee Sung-yong (55) said, "I watched every Asian Games game and tried to view it objectively. Still, I could see that Jo Hyeong-woo's skills had improved and become more stable." He added, "That is exactly why I consider Hyeong-woo the key to our team. As he continues to grow, the pitchers trust him and follow his lead. If this trend continues, our team can become even more solid," praising him.

The growth confirmed with the national team continued immediately after returning to his club. In a game against LG on the 30th of last month, SSG was trailing 0-3 through the top of the ninth inning, facing a likely defeat. However, in the bottom of the ninth, with bases loaded and one out created by hits from Jeon Ui-san (26), Ko Myeong-jun (24), and Choi Ji-hoon (29), Jo Hyeong-woo hit a two-run RBI double to left field against LG closer Son Ju-young (28), closing the gap to just one run. A wild pitch followed, tying the game at 3-3, and Jung Jun-jae (23) delivered a walk-off RBI hit to center field with two outs and runners on first and second base, completing a 4-3 comeback victory.

His numbers this season also show a growth trend. Jo Hyeong-woo is currently recording a .260 batting average (81 hits in 311 at-bats), eight home runs, 39 RBIs, 42 runs scored, a .318 on-base percentage, a .402 slugging percentage, and an OPS of 0.720 in 99 games. He has also hit 20 doubles. Compared to last year's .238 batting average, four home runs, and 29 RBIs in 102 games, his overall offensive production has improved.

However, Jo Hyeong-woo's self-evaluation was endlessly cold. While stating, "I think pitcher handling is the area where I have improved the most," he reflected, "Honestly, my stolen base prevention is much worse than last year, and my blocking seems inferior to last year as well. As for hitting, it has just become a bit more stable because I can go out every day with confidence; it hasn't dramatically improved."

His stolen base prevention rate this year is 26.7%, tying for fourth among catchers who have played over 700 innings in defense, but Jo Hyeong-woo himself was not satisfied. There was also the circumstance that he had been playing with elbow pain throughout the season. He said, "I lived with constant elbow pain this year. Due to that burden, I feel my performance did not come out properly," but did not use it as an excuse. Instead, he looked ahead, saying, "It has improved a lot now, and I think my condition will be even better next year."

With the Asian Games gold medal resolving his military service issue, he can now focus solely on baseball without long breaks. While one might expect him to feel relieved, the standard Jo Hyeong-woo sets for himself has actually risen. Jo Hyeong-woo said, "I thought I should carry the burden of knowing that I really need to perform well now. Even at this year's level, I am far from enough." He emphasized, "I must show a definitive performance next year. For the team to do well, my position is extremely important. It is not enough to have an average record; I must reach a level where everyone says 'he is good.'"

There is something he must finish before that: placing SSG as high as possible this season. 2027 will be the last season SSG spends at Incheon SSG Landers Field. The players are aware that if they finish sixth this year, they will not be able to hold next year's home opener at this venue.

Jo Hyeong-woo revealed strong determination, saying, "The players are also conscious of it. However, personally, I think it is less about wanting the home opener and more about finishing in as high a rank as possible. If that didn't matter, couldn't we just rank teams up to fifth place and not assign ranks below that? As players, we should strive to be in the highest possible position. In that sense, I definitely want to finish sixth."

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.