In the baseball team preparing to participate in the World Baseball Classic (WBC), there are a few players without uniform numbers on practice games.메이저사이트

Currently, second baseman Tommy Edman (St. Louis) and shortstop Kim Ha-seong (San Diego) have not joined the national team. Only two infielders were selected because there was a shortage of two infielders, and the catcher could be replaced in the entry in case of injury during the tournament. Some of the national team players do not play full-time because they are still in the stage of improving their condition. Accordingly, in the mid-to-late half of the game, a few players who will fill the defensive position at bat are ‘recruited’ from outside to play the actual game.

KT’s catcher Kang Hyeon-woo (22), infielders Kang Min-seong (24), Ryu Hyun-in (22), and Son Min-seok (19) are together in the national team’s practice training that started with the NC match on the 17th. While training at his team KT, on days when the national team has a game, he joins the national team and plays in the national team uniform. In the game against KIA on the 20th, second baseman Hyun-in Ryu, shortstop Min-seok Son, third baseman Min-seong Kang, and catcher Hyun-woo Kang appeared at the same time in the bottom of the 9th inning. KT players filled the entire infield, including first baseman Kang Baek-ho, a national team player. On this day, Kang Min-seong had 2 hits and Son Min-seok had 1 hit.

The reason why KT players were ‘dispatched’ to the national team is because the national team’s command tower is KT’s head coach Lee Kang-cheol. It is also a possible system because the national team training ground is the same as KT’s training ground. Head coach Lee Kang-chul is leading the national team after leaving his team at a time when he should be in the middle of preparing for the season. Coach Kang-Cheol Lee, who cannot hide his feelings for his team to the extent that his eyes are directed to KT training at the next stadium, is holding a camp with a system that kills two birds with one stone by bringing in the rookies he has been eyeing as national support forces and examining them in practice.

In particular, these four players are the players that manager Lee Kang-cheol is keeping an eye on as KT’s future resources. Kang Hyeon-woo joined in 2020, experienced 26 games in the first team, and returned after completing his military service. The other three infielders are all rookies. Son Min-seok graduated from Gyeongnam High School, ranked 30th in the 3rd round, and Hyun-in Ryu graduated from Dankook University, ranked 70th in the 7th round, and was nominated in the rookie draft last September. Kang Min-seong graduated from Gyeongbuk High School and was nominated for the 2nd 6th round in 2019, but after completing active military service, he was registered as an official player for the first time this year and is preparing for his debut. They are also players who received praise from coach Lee Kang-cheol for showing good form in the finishing training held in Iksan in November and took a snow stamp.

They play in the national team’s spare uniform, which has neither name nor uniform number. When the game is over, the ‘national team uniform’ must be returned. However, beyond the 1st team spring camp, I am building in my heart and mind the great opportunity and experience of playing with the national team as a team with the national team.

Kang Min-seong said, “It is an honor to be able to play baseball with the best seniors in Korea. It was an incredibly good study and motivated me. I will do my best so that I can become a national representative later.”