Seoul: Before being drafted in the third round by the Doosan Bears last fall, 18-year-old pitcher Hong Min-gyu had only anticipated that hitters in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) would be competent. He had no idea just how skilled they would be. "I was surprised to see how well they all swung the bat," Hong shared with Yonhap News Agency at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Wednesday, discussing the surprises of his rookie season. "They really are professional hitters."
According to Yonhap News Agency, these proficient hitters are also recognizing Hong's talents. As of Thursday's games, Hong, a right-hander, boasted a 2.03 ERA over 10 appearances, having allowed only three earned runs in 13 1/3 innings. Bears manager Lee Seung-yuop expressed his satisfaction with Hong's fearless approach on the mound.
Typically, third-round draft picks do not aspire to win the Rookie of the Year award, often considering just playing in the KBO an achievement. However, after the first full month of the season, Hong is daring to dream big. "My goal is to stay healthy for the whole season and win the Rookie of the Year at the end," he stated. "So many rookies are playing well this year, but I want to be better than those guys. Some rookie pitchers have done well in high-leverage situations. So I'd also like to take the mound in some tough spots and help the team win."
Despite being a middle reliever, Hong has already achieved his first career win, followed by his first save, and then his first hold, a statistic more common in his role than wins and saves.