Why is it true that a slugging percentage of 0.548 without a home run, a double, and a triple? Why a player like this couldn't even be nominated as a professional player in the independent league

Jul 08, 2025

Lotte-KIA match held at Kia Champions Field in Gwangju on the 6th. Park Chan-hyung is delighted after hitting an RBI timely hit in the top of the eighth inning with two outs and runners on second base. Gwangju = Reporter Jeong Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2025.7.6/

452. Is this for real.

The summer of Lotte Giants is hot. The "Sangdong Giants" are fighting at the top of the list until the end of the first half due to the great rebellion of unknown players. He is tied for second with the LG Twins. He is 3.5 games behind the first-runner Hanwha Eagles.

As mentioned above, it is a major reversal of 'GumBaseball'. Jang Doo-sung, Kim Dong-hyuk, and Han Tae-yang are perfectly filling the gap between the main players Yoon Dong-hee, Na Seung-yeop, and Hwang Sung-bin.

Among them, the scariest player in recent years is none other than Park Chan-hyung. Park Chan-hyung was a member of the independent club Hwaseong Coreyo until May. However, Lotte, who recognized Park Chan-hyung's possibility, reached out and signed a reported player contract.

Usually, even if a player wearing a professional uniform, it usually takes a long time to debut in the first team. This is because he needs time to clean up as a practical player in the second division. However, Park Chan-hyung made his debut in the first team last month in a surprise move to the second-tier coaching staff evaluation that "already for practical use" and proves that he is really 'for practical use'. Director Kim Tae-hyung's eyes, who said, `I don't know if I just practice,' were completely wrong.

Lotte and KT held at Sajik Stadium in Busan on the 29th. Lotte's Park Chan-hyung is hitting. Busan = Song Jeong-heon Reporter's songs@sportschosun.com/2025.06.29/

He is batting .452 in 13 games. Although it lacks power, it boasts the ability to make contact. The on-base percentage is as high as 485. While playing 33 at-bats, he only walked two and struck out three. There are no home runs, no doubles and no triples, but the slugging percentage is 548. Long hitting doesn't necessarily mean that long hitting is high. A single hit is also reflected in the slugging percentage calculation. When hitting long balls, it is a concept that adds weight. This means that in the case of Son and Park Chan-hyung, they somehow hit the bat and see the result. Once you hit it, you'll get the result, whether you're not riding or out. He is also quite good at infield defense.

It is questionable why such a player was not even selected as a professional and was not selected as a reported player after failing to win the draft. Scouts put a higher weight on future development potential, although the skills of amateur players are important right now. Players who are small in size and lack power, like Park Chan-hyung, usually do not look at them, saying that it is difficult to produce balls that leave the infield at the professional level.

Hwang Young-mook of Hanwha hits a ball in a game between Hanwha and Lotte at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan on the 19th. Busan = Reporter Huh Sang-wook's wook@sportschosun.com/2025.06.19/

Before Park Chan-hyung, Hwang Young-mook, who wrote the independent league myth first at the Hanwha Eagles last year, is also a similar case. He hit well, held well, threw well, and ran well, but he was shunned by the professional. Both of them are skinny in their 1m70s. Jang Hyun-jin, who recently joined SSG Landers after playing in the NPB's second division through the Japanese independent league, is a similar case. When he was a senior at Seoul High School, his season batting average exceeded 40%, but all 10 clubs did not pay attention.

There will be a reason if the scouting parts of all 10 clubs pick players based on similar criteria. There must have been accumulated data that giving more points to potential is likely to succeed. However, field leaders say that there are a lot of players in universities and independent leagues who can hit the jackpot even with their weak (?) bodies. Park Chan-hyung's rebellion may create an opportunity for professional clubs to move further to the independent league.

This article was translated by Naver AI translator.