"I learned a lot in the military about how desperately I need baseball" — Jeon Ui-san's vision for next year: "Now is the time to perform well"

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Despite hitting a three-run home run that secured a victory for his team, Jeon Ui-san (26, SSG Landers) appeared to have a complex mind. A heavy sense of responsibility weighed on his shoulders.

Jeon Ui-san started as the No. 4 hitter and first baseman in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League home game held on the 7th at Incheon SSG Landers Field, leading the team to a 6-3 victory with two hits in four at-bats, one walk, three RBIs, and one run scored, including a decisive three-run home run.

With both teams tied 0-0, Jeon Ui-san stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the third inning with two outs and runners on first and second base. He hit a high cutter from Song Myung-gi over the center field fence for a massive home run that traveled 125 meters.

In the fourth inning, he calmly drew a walk with one out and runners on first and second. In the sixth inning, he hit an infield single to right field with two outs and a runner on first base, recording three on-base appearances in the game.

Manager Lee Soon-yong praised him after the game, saying, "Jeon Ui-san hit a go-ahead three-run home run, which helped us take control of the atmosphere early in the game."

Speaking to reporters after the game, Jeon Ui-san said, "It seems I was able to contribute because we were able to win on a day when I played well," adding, "I feel like I can shed some of the mental burden I have been carrying until now."

Despite leading his team to victory with a valuable home run, his expression was not entirely bright. This was because his recent slump came to mind. Jeon Ui-san said, "Looking back at my recent at-bats, they were really bad. In retrospect, I was thinking too much at the plate." He continued, "During this home series, I tried hard to keep things simple. The coaches gave me a lot of good advice, which led to a good result."

He felt a strong sense of urgency. "I kept missing pitches that I should have been able to handle, so I became a bit anxious and overthought things," he said. "It's not that I didn't prepare hard, so today I let go, relaxed at the plate, trusted my preparation, and left it up to fate."

Just like in his rookie season in 2022, he set a personal single-season record with 13 home runs. If he hits one more in the remaining two games, he will break the record for most home runs. Nevertheless, Jeon Ui-san stated, "That would be greed. When you make good contact, a good hit comes out. I have no desire for home runs; with two games left, I just want to help ensure we can play well in all of them."

He is already thinking about what needs to be improved ahead of the new season. "There are still areas where I need to become more seasoned in dueling with pitchers at the plate, but these are things that must be done while continuing to play games," he explained. "It seems the key for this winter is to work a lot on my mechanics and find my own style quickly."

Immediately after being drafted in the first round of the second phase of the 2020 draft, he spent time solely on rehabilitation and was unable to play in games. In 2021, he spent his time only in the Futures League (KBO minor league). After completing his military service at the National COLONY Military Unit (Sangmu), he will enter his fifth season exclusively in the first division next year. He can no longer remain just a promising prospect.

This is also why he finds himself thinking more and more. It also means that he has become more mature and his sense of responsibility has grown. Jeon Ui-san said, "Since I am not young anymore, I try to approach every at-bat with desperation. I learned a lot about this in the military. I felt how precious baseball is and how desperate it is to realize that such opportunities are not given every time. I always strive to think of it as something precious. It seems that the military changes people, making them more desperate."

Next year, he will have to compete in a similar position with both Choi Jeong returning and Ko Myung-jun joining him, so he plans to spend the winter even more desperately. Jeon Ui-san firmly resolved his mind by saying, "Since next year is the most important, I want to do better. Now is the time when I must perform well."

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

*This content was translated by AI.View Original