"We have invested 29 billion won since 2022, but outfield weaknesses remain." Will Hanwha catch Choi Won-joon as the 'biggest outfielder' in 2025
"We have invested 29 billion won since 2022, but outfield weaknesses remain." Will Hanwha catch Choi Won-joon as the 'biggest outfielder' in 2025
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Will the Hanwha Eagles catch Choi Won-joon (27), the biggest outfielder in the FA market next year?
Starting in 2022, Hanwha has beefed up its roster through active investment in the stove league. After the end of the 2022 season, Hanwha signed a six-year contract with Chae Eun-seong, a former member of the LG Twins, for a total of 9 billion won. Last year, the team had Ahn Chi-hong, one of the top second basemen in the KBO League, for a total of 7.2 billion won for four plus two years.
The same was true this year. Hanwha signed a four-year, maximum free agent contract with shortstop Shim Woo-joon who has outstanding defense capability. It then acquired Shim Sang-baek, the "biggest fish in the starting lineup," for a total of 7.8 billion won (6.37 million U.S. dollars) for four years. It spent a whopping 12.8 billion won (17.8 million dollars) to sign Shim. Hanwha has invested a total of 29 billion won (27 million dollars) in the free agent market since 2022.
The team has strengthened its strength by strengthening the starting lineup and the infield, but its weaknesses still exist. It is the outfield. Hanwha outfielders' OPS for the 2024 season was 0.737, the second lowest after the Kiwoom Heroes (0.720), the lowest. The batting average was 0.255, the lowest in the league. Jang Jin-hyuk, Kim Tae-yeon, Choi In-ho and Peraza alternately took charge of the outfield, but none of them gave a clear belief.
As the team already has two free agents this year, it can no longer recruit outside agents. If the same problem is repeated in the 2025 season, chances are high that the team will reinforce its outfielders in the next year's Stove League.
A big-class outfielder will be eligible for the FA market next year. It is Choi Won-joon of the Kia Tigers. He was the third-ranked player in the second round and first round of the 2016 rookie draft. At first, he became an infielder and an outfielder at the same time, but he began to take charge of outfielders only from the 2020 season. 먹튀검증
Choi Won-joon was in full swing in 2020. At that time, he played as Kia's main outfielder with a batting average of 0.326 with two homers and 35 RBIs in 123 games and an OPS of 0.808. In the 2021 season, he led the team's batting average of 0.295 with four homers and 44 RBIs in 143 games and an OPS of 0.742.
After joining the Sangmu Baseball Organization in December 2021, Choi was discharged from the military in June last year. In the second half of last year, he suffered ups and downs with a batting average of 0.255 with one homer, 23 RBIs and an OPS of 0.672 in 67 games, but has rebounded this season. Choi showed an outstanding performance with a batting average of 0.292 with nine homers and 56 RBIs in 136 games. As KIA won the combined championship, Choi acquired the championship ring.
Choi Won-joon, who possesses excellent offense, will become a free agent at the end of the 2025 season. If Choi shows the same performance next year as this season, he is highly likely to become the biggest outfielder. For Hanwha, Choi Won-joon can be an attractive resource.
Of course, chances are high that Kia will also make all-out efforts to protect Choi. Choi is a key player that cannot be replaced by Kia, which lacks outfield resources rather than infield resources. Attention is focusing on what choice Choi Won-joon will make next year.