"Korean Batters Are Better Than Japanese Prospects": MLB Scout's Assessment Was No Exaggeration! Kim Hui-jip Explodes with 6 RBIs in 2 Games → Tokyo Dome Rattles... Japan Also Surprised [2026 APBC]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

"Among MLB scouts, there is also a view that recent Korean high school prospects are actually better hitters than Japanese prospects of the same age. It is certain that Japanese pitching prospects are superior."

This was an assessment by a Major League Baseball (MLB) scout who has recently watched Korean amateur baseball. Although Korean baseball once again bowed to Japan, at least the power hitting of young batters showed potential.

The South Korean national team, led by Manager Choi Won-ho (53), lost 5-9 to Japan in the second preliminary match of the 2026 Asia Pro Baseball Championship (APBC) held at Tokyo Dome in Japan on the 13th. This follows a 7-8 comeback loss to Australia the previous day (the 12th), marking two consecutive defeats.

While the results were disappointing, there was a harvest from the batting lineup. South Korea recorded 15 hits, 12 runs, and 3 home runs in the two games. At the center of this was Kim Hui-jip (24, NC Dinos), who posted 3 hits (1 home run) in 8 at-bats, with 6 RBIs and 2 runs scored.

Kim Hui-jip's bat was hot from the first day. Batting sixth against Australia, Kim hit a double in his first at-bat in the second inning. In the bottom of the sixth inning, trailing 0-4 with two outs and bases loaded, he drove a cleanup double into the right-field fence to lead a 5-4 comeback. South Korea scored 6 runs in that inning alone.

Japanese media Nikkan Sports also noted the concentration of the Korean batting lineup at the time. Nikkan Sports reported, "The lineup exploded all at once in the sixth inning, scoring 6 runs to achieve a comeback," adding, "Kim Ju-won hit a massive two-run homer that flew into the left-side second-tier stands. Kim Hui-jip hit a double into the opposite right-field fence that cleared all runners."

Kim Hui-jip washed away the regret of narrowly missing the fence in the next day's game against Japan. In the top of the eighth inning, trailing 1-5 with no outs and runners on first and third base, Kim stepped up as the savior when Japan replaced its pitcher with Morita Shunya. He hit the third pitch over the center-field fence at Tokyo Dome for a massive tying three-run homer with a carry distance of 120 meters.

The Japanese field was also in a state of shock. Another Japanese media outlet, Daily Sports, reported immediately after Kim Hui-jip's home run, "Samurai Japan had its four-run lead in the eighth inning erased. The unexpected development caused Tokyo Dome to buzz." It continued, "In contrast to Morita, who stood on the pitcher's mound in a daze, the Korean bench was ecstatic. It was a blow that seemed to sweep away the heavy atmosphere of an 11-game losing streak against Japan," conveying the on-site mood.

It was not only Kim Hui-jip who shone. Han Dong-hee (27, Lotte Giants) performed brilliantly in the game against Japan with 2 hits (1 home run) in 4 at-bats, 2 RBIs, and 2 runs scored. He hit a solo homer over the right-field fence in the top of the third inning against Takemaru Kazuyuki, an 11-win rookie left-handed pitcher for the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). In the eighth inning, he also set up the pursuit with a RBI hit to center-right field.

Kim Ju-won (24, NC) also contributed with 2 hits (1 home run) in 5 at-bats and 2 RBIs in the game against Australia. He fired the signal for a counterattack with a massive two-run homer that flew into the left-side stands in the bottom of the sixth inning while trailing 0-4. Earlier, the MLB scout explained, "It is certain that Japanese pitching prospects are better at the same age. While Central and South American players have superior physical abilities compared to Korean players of the same age, they are often seen as lacking in technical aspects."

Of course, it cannot be evaluated that Korean batters are better than Japanese ones based on just these two games. Japan also hit 4 home runs and scored 9 runs against South Korea, while South Korea failed to overcome its pitching staff's struggles. Kim Hui-jip's dramatic tying homer was dimmed by Muneyama Rui's decisive three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning against Japan.

Nevertheless, the power hitting shown by Korean batters against Japanese and Australian pitchers was a clear harvest. In particular, Kim Hui-jip hit crucial extra-base hits to either overturn or catch up from a four-run deficit on consecutive days.

South Korea will play its final preliminary game against Taiwan at 7 p.m. on the 14th. With advancement to the finals becoming uncertain after two consecutive losses, attention is focused on whether young batters including Kim Hui-jip can lead another counterattack.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original