‘Explosion of 10 games and 4 home runs’ Dominating Japan’s educational league, Baby Bear Kim Ju-oh ‘Lowered bat weight, power output surged dramatically’... Dreams of a second-year uprising

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Although he was selected in the first round by the Doosan Bears amid high expectations, Kim Ju-oh (19) remains an unfamiliar name to fans. This is because he has no appearance record in the first division this season. Kim Ju-oh, who has changed dramatically through several adjustments, dreams of a second-year uprising.

Kim Ju-oh, a graduate of Yongma High School, wore the Doosan uniform as the seventh pick in the first round of last year’s rookie draft and received a signing bonus of 250 million won. The reason was that he was regarded as a powerful hitter who boasts fast batted ball speed while also possessing plate discipline and contact ability.

However, he failed to debut in the first division and wandered through the Futures League (minor league), with his batting average even dropping below .200 at one point in June.

Although he rebounded after July, his record of a .235 batting average, 1 home run, 22 RBIs, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) of .601 in 60 games left much to be desired.

Kim Ju-oh, who departed for Miyazaki, Japan on the 7th to participate in the 2026 Phoenix Educational League, is showing a completely different appearance. He is swinging a hot bat with a .447 batting average (17 hits in 38 at-bats), 4 home runs, 9 RBIs, 10 runs scored, and an OPS of 1.335 in 10 games. He recorded a hit in every game except one, and 10 of his 19 hits were extra-base hits.

Kim Ju-oh cited returning to his high school days as the key. In June, while struggling with severe slumps, he watched videos from his high school era together with Coach Lee Do-hyung and decided to “go back to that time and throw in a winning move.” He reduced the weight of his bat by approximately 15 grams to 875g and adjusted his swing trajectory so it would not drop.

As a result, he performed with a .348 batting average in the subsequent 17 games. Although he ended his season early due to an unexpected left ankle injury in August, the confidence gained at that time is continuing into the educational league. Rather, with a lighter bat, he regained his own swing, and power was actually added to his batted balls, allowing him to dramatically boost his extra-base hit capability.

The coaching staff of the Futures team also unanimously praised him, saying, “His operational ability at the plate has improved. He is showing growth potential and expectations.”

During his injury period, he indirectly received mental support from superstar senior teammates. During a difficult time in rehabilitation, he watched on YouTube as senior Lee Dae-ho advised Kim Do-young (KIA), saying, “When you play baseball, such periods come once or twice. Since it came early, all that’s left is to get better from here,” and stated that this helped him heal as well.

Kim Ju-oh said, “I am satisfied with the results of the educational league so far. It is not simply about hits or home runs; I feel that my hard-hit rate has increased.” He added, “Because I can swing steadily even in crowded counts after 2 strikes, confidence has grown. Also, I have gained confidence in defense. It seems that the intensive training provided by Coach Kim Jae-hyun and Coach Hyun Pyeong-do is leading to good results.”

However, he is not resting on his laurels. “The educational league is not the end but the beginning, and even just the first step. My goal is to maintain this form from the upcoming closing camp through next year’s spring training,” he said, adding, “Since fans have sent many expectations, I will do my best to prepare for next year.”

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original