In Korea, it finally bursts at the age of 33, but advice for a center fielder who hits 30 percent

Jun 05, 2025

In Korea, it finally bursts at the age of 33, but advice for a center fielder who hits 30 percent
KIA Kim Ho-ryeong hitting a game between Lotte and KIA at Gwangju KIA Champions Field on the 15th. Gwangju = Reporter's book@sportschosun.com/2025.05.15/



In Korea, it finally bursts at the age of 33, but advice for a center fielder who hits 30 percent
KIA Kim Ho-ryeong hits a double and runs in the bottom of the second inning of the second game between Doosan and KIA at Gwangju KIA Champions Field on the 17th. Gwangju = Reporter's book@sportschosun.com/2025.05.17/
"(Kim) Ho-ryeong is also a good defense player in Korea."

Lee Bum-ho, manager of the KIA Tigers, is using Kim Ho-ryeong (33) as center fielder this season. Kim Ho-ryeong was not considered as the starting center fielder since the opening. Right fielder Na Sung-beom left due to a calf injury and center fielder Choi Won-joon suffered from a severe batting slump, so he needed a substitute and Kim Ho-ryeong, who was waiting quietly in the second division, had a chance.

Kim Ho-ryeong graduated from Gunsan Sango-Dongguk University and wore a KIA uniform as the 102nd in the 10th round of the second round of the 2015 Rookie Draft. He has been considered one of the best defense players in the league since he was a rookie. It is comparable to the league's top center field such as Jung Soo-bin (Doosan Bears) and Park Hae-min (LG Twins), but the hitting has always been a drag. In 2023 and last year, the season batting average remained in the 10% range for the second consecutive year, narrowing its position in the first team.




A car that was about to end up as a backup. Kim Ho-ryeong did not miss the opportunity that came with difficulty. First of all, he laid the center of the shaky outfield defense with his specialty of defense, and the batting pace began to rise gradually. He had a batting average of 0.300 (15 hits in 50 at-bats), five RBIs and an OPS of 0.784 in 17 games from the game against Doosan in Gwangju on the 17th of last month to the game against Doosan in Jamsil on the 4th.

What kind of change has happened to a batter with a career batting average of 0.237 in his 11th year as a professional.

KIA batting coach Hong Se-wan, who met ahead of the match against Doosan Bears in Jamsil on the 4th, said "It's good what Ho-ryeong has, but I think it's over after changing his form too much. I think the director changed his form a few days ago. In a way, it's right for the player, and to play well at the game, you know what kind of course you have to play. It seems that you judge what you need to hit and what you don't. As for the form, I came inside and hit something that was a little cross, but as the body opened quickly, the bat itself hit a little back, so there were many balls going out to the right. Now I'm trying to make a left-handed hit. I think that kind of hit it off a little bit," he said.




The head coach said that it was also very helpful for Kim Ho-ryeong to find psychological stability as he was consistently used in the first team.

In Korea, it finally bursts at the age of 33, but advice for a center fielder who hits 30 percent
KBO League match between Samsung and KIA at Samsung Lions Park in Daegu on the 25th. KIA Kim Ho-ryeong had a hit in the fifth inning. Daegu=Song Jeong-heon Reporter's songs@sportschosun.com/2025.05.25/
In Korea, it finally bursts at the age of 33, but advice for a center fielder who hits 30 percent
A game between the Doosan Bears and the KIA Tigers at Jamsil Stadium on the 4th. In the top of the third inning, Kim Ho-ryeong, who was aiming for home when KIA Yoon Do-hyun hit an infield grounder with one out and runners on the second and third bases, is being tagged by Doosan catcher Yang Eui-ji. Jamsil = Reporter Park Jae-man pjm@sportschosun.com /2025.06.04/
Manager Lee said, `I thought he was a player who could do well before that. He's a friend who has enough, but he hasn't shown much of that until now. (The hitting form) 'Let's try it like this' and 'Yes' and then if I go to the second division again, I'll change it. Now, as you come up, you're the only center fielder. I'm going to use it as a center fielder, so try it comfortably. I don't think I'll change it to a substitute because there's no center fielder. So, as I continued to go out, I found confidence, and there were some balls that were a little shaky in the beginning of the defense, but now I think it's a psychology that baseball is playing fairly well. "Since Horyeong visits you little by little, I think he's coming out with his skills."

There is nothing more to be desired in defense than now.




Manager Lee said, `If Horyeong goes out to center field and (Choi) Won-jun is in right field, there are players like this who can easily catch difficult hits, pitchers can throw in a psychologically comfortable state. Then, I think the team will be able to continue in a stable manner. That's why we have to use players who are good at defense. Horyeong is also a good defense player in Korea. "There will be times when you continue to do well and times when you don't, but if you push ahead with your thoughts and your own subjectivity, it will be a good season."

Coach Hong also "The problem was to change his batting form again if Ho-ryeong couldn't." Even if it's not possible, it's more important to keep your form steady and make it your own. It's working well now, so don't you keep hitting it with that form. It's because the result is good, but when the result is bad, Horyeong will think about it again and try to change it to another form. Even if it doesn't work, if you continue steadily, your batting average will not drop that much," he advised.

In Korea, it finally bursts at the age of 33, but advice for a center fielder who hits 30 percent
A game between the Doosan Bears and the KIA Tigers at Jamsil Stadium on the 4th. KIA Kim Ho-ryeong is taking a hit. Jamsil = Reporter Park Jae-man pjm@sportschosun.com /2025.06.04/




This article was translated by Naver AI translator.