Kim Kang-min, "Donning the NC Uniform," Makes a Surprise Appearance at Japan's Okinawa Closing Camp! Preparing for a 2027 Rebound with Manager Lee Ho-jun

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Kim Kang-min (44), the legendary center fielder of the SSG Landers who made his name with "beast-like defense," takes his first step as a coach wearing the NC Dinos uniform. Joining as the KBO League's first outfield coordinator, Kim will prepare for NC's 2027 season rebound alongside Manager Lee Ho-jun (50) in Okinawa, Japan.

NC announced on the 2nd, "We will conduct 'CAMP 1 Okinawa' at Kinoha Son Baseball Stadium in Okinawa, Japan, starting from the 3rd."

This camp will be attended by seven coaching staff members, including Manager Lee Ho-jun and outfield coordinator Kim Kang-min, as well as 20 position players. The total number of participants, including support personnel such as trainers, is 50. The pitching staff will remain at Changwon NC Park to continue their training.

The most notable figure is Kim Kang-min. NC signed Kim as an outfield coordinator on the 31st of last month. NC is the first team in the KBO League to operate a separate position titled "outfield coordinator." Kim joined SK Wyverns (now SSG Landers) in 2001 and played as a representative center fielder for the KBO League. He earned the nickname "beast-like defense" due to his wide defensive range and excellent ball judgment. He played for SK and SSG through the 2023 season, then transferred to the Hanwha Eagles in 2024, spending one season before retiring.

After retirement, he served as a member of the KBO Power Enhancement Committee and as a commentator. Although there were predictions that he would begin his coaching career with his former team given his long tenure with SSG, his first choice was NC. At NC, Kim will oversee outfield defense for the first division (Team N), the Futures League team (Team C), and the rehabilitation group (Team D). He is expected to analyze each player's defensive abilities and operate customized training programs that combine data with on-field experience.

It is also a necessary reinforcement for NC. This year, NC's outfield saw Park Geon-woo, Kwon Hee-dong, Lee Woo-seong, Cheon Jae-hwan, Park Si-won, Choi Jeong-won, and Han Seok-hyeon take turns appearing in games. Amidst the failure to complete a definitive starting lineup, the plan is to utilize Kim's defensive experience in player development.

At his appointment, Kim stated, "Based on my experiences as a player and the know-how I accumulated while serving on the KBO Power Enhancement Committee, I will help players leverage their strengths and compensate for their weaknesses." He added, "I will actively communicate with the players and contribute to enhancing the team's outfield defensive competitiveness."

This camp is also an important time for NC. Last year, NC successfully made a dramatic post-season appearance with a nine-game winning streak at the end of the regular season. This year, however, they finished in eighth place with a record of 64 wins, 2 draws, and 78 losses (winning percentage 0.451). Their ranking dropped three spots from last year, marking their second consecutive failure to advance to the fall baseball playoffs.

2027 is Manager Lee Ho-jun's final season under contract. NC began CAMP 1 in Changwon on the 18th of last month, and this time they are sending the position players to Japan to intensively refine fundamentals such as batting, defense, and base running.

In particular, 2027 rookies Park Bo-seung (18) and Woo Ju-ro (18) will participate in their first overseas camp after joining professional baseball. Outfielder Park Bo-seung, a graduate of Gyeongnam High School, was selected with the sixth overall pick in the first round of the September 2027 KBO Rookie Draft. He is a promising player who signed for a total of 3 billion won, including signing bonus and options. As he is evaluated as an outfielder with fast feet and defensive skills, it is expected that receiving direct guidance from Kim Kang-min will aid his growth.

Infielder Woo Ju-ro, a graduate of Daejeon High School, donned the NC uniform after being selected with the 16th overall pick in the second round. A player equipped with stable batting and infield defensive skills, he is scheduled to learn the fundamentals required for the professional stage at this camp.

Participating in this Okinawa camp are three catchers: Kim Jae-min, Kim Hyung-jun, and Shin Yong-seok; and eight infielders: Kim Han-byul, Seo Ho-cheol, Shin Seong-ho, Shin Jae-in, Woo Ju-ro, Han Jae-hwan, Heo Yun, and Hong Jong-pyo.

There are nine outfielders: Go Jun-hwi, Kim Beom-jun, Park Bo-seung, Park Si-won, Oh Jang-han, Oh Tae-yang, Lee Woo-seong, Cheon Jae-hwan, and Choi Jeong-won. In addition to Kim Kang-min, the coaching staff assisting Manager Lee Ho-jun includes coaches Kim Sang-hoon, Kim Jong-ho, Park Yong-geun, Jeon Min-su, Jo Young-hoon, and Choi Geon-yong.

NC will depart for Japan via Gimhae Airport on the 3rd and begin full-scale training from the 4th. The camp will be operated with a schedule of one day of rest after three days of training, and they are scheduled to return home via Gimhae Airport on the 23rd.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original