Wriggling big gun instinct No. 1 hitter's clean-up transformation → Coach Kim Tae-hyung's second year, Yoon Dong-hee's central deployment is a good move

Mar 02, 2025

A game between the Doosan Bears and the Lotte Giants at Sunmarin Stadium in Miyazaki, Japan, on the 2nd. Lotte Yoon Dong-hee hits a two-run shot with no outs in the bottom of the first inning. Miyazaki(Japan) = Reporter Park Jae-man pjm@sportschosun.com/2025.03.02

Lotte Giants outfielder Yoon Dong-hee raised expectations by wriggling his big guns instinct in spring camp. Yoon Dong-hee was a leadoff player last season, and this year he will take on the task of 'Solver'. Attention is focusing on whether Lotte manager Kim Tae-hyung's judgment will be correct.

Yoon Dong-hee started as the fifth batter and right fielder in a practice game against the Doosan Bears at Sunmarin Stadium in Miyazaki, Japan, on the 2nd. Yoon Dong-hee blasted a superior two-run home run off Doosan's ace Kwak Bin. The timing was slightly late, but the power that pushed over the right fence was impressive. Lotte lost the game 5-7, but Yoon Dong-hee's home run was enough to give hope.

Yoon Dong-hee took a chance at second base with no outs in the top of the second inning, trailing 0-3. Yoon Dong-hee, who watched the first pitch, decided to swing the bat for the second time in the advantageous count of one ball. Kwak Bin's 145km fastball came full into the outside borderline. It wasn't a real throw. Yoon Dong-hee's hit flew 104 meters and fell outside the fence. Even considering that Kwak Bin's condition is not 100% because he is still in camp, Yoon Dong-hee's punch power was impressive.

Manager Kim Tae-hyung plans to place Yoon Dong-hee in the clean-up this season. Yoon Dong-hee played 303 as the first hitter and 142 as the second batter out of 613 at-bats in 2024. Manager Kim Tae-hyung said, `I'm thinking about five or six times. It's not going to go down seven..." he revealed a rough plan.

Yoon Dong-hee had a batting average of 293 in the 2024 season.

The batting average rose to 326 in the presence of runners. He also had a high batting average of 319.

A game between the Doosan Bears and the Lotte Giants at Sunmarin Stadium in Miyazaki, Japan, on the 2nd. Lotte's Yoon Dong-hee is taking a hit. Miyazaki(Japan) = Reporter Park Jae-man pjm@sportschosun.com/2025.03.02

However, he had no hits in three at-bats for four as the third batter, one hit in 11 at-bats for 12 as the fifth batter, and seven hits in 36 at-bats for 41 as the sixth batter. Last year, I did better at the table setter.

In other words, Yun Dong-hee received a new homework this year.

Yoon Dong-hee cautiously said, `It's still a practice game, so I don't know if I'll be in the center batting line even during the season.' However, when he is in the table setter and enters the center, there are many situations where runners are usually laid out. I can't feel it yet. I think the results will follow if I just faithfully do what I will do the same no matter which batting order I am in."

The 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) will be held in March next year. This year's performance is important to get on board the national team. Yoon Dong-hee, who broke the jinx in her second year last year, has to cross the wall again in her third year.

Yoon Dong-hee said "Baseball is really hard. Important things happen every year. I think it will continue to be like that in the future. If you focus too much on external factors, it can be poisonous"I vowed to concentrate on myself.

This article was translated by Naver AI translator.