“I hope I don’t get a pro nomination even if I go back to that time (when I was in my senior year of high school).”
A 3rd year student at Gwangju Il High School, who struggled 8 years ago because he was not selected by the KBO League teams, used that pain as a stepping stone to become a professional player 4 years later and become the protagonist of a life reversal by wearing the Taegeuk mark for the first time in 4 years. This is the story of SSG Landers center fielder Choi Ji-hoon (26).
Choi Ji-hoon said, “I feel a strong sense of responsibility as a national team player no matter what form I was selected for, and I strongly feel a sense of responsibility as a national team player. I want to show a play that suits me,” he said.
On the 6th, the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced that Ji-hoon Choi would join the 2023 WBC Korean national team instead of first baseman Choi Ji-man (32, Pittsburgh). For Choi Ji-hoon, it is the Taegeuk mark of the first adult national team. Congratulation and encouragement from the people around him followed. As soon as I heard the news of the selection, I called my parents first, and mentor Kim Kang-min (41) left a special advice.
Choi Ji-hoon said with a smile, “(Kim) Kang-min playfully said, ‘The people who will save the country are fixed anyway, so don’t try to do anything. Just do what you feel comfortable doing, and it will work out,’ so the tension was relieved and it was fun.”
The first Taegeuk mark has no choice but to come even more special because Choi Ji-hoon, who tried to quit baseball when he graduated from high school, and his family knew about his troubles. Choi Ji-hoon, who played as a third baseman during his days at Gwangju Il High School, switched positions to an outfielder after entering Dongguk University, and this choice became his one of a kind move. He has been called one of the best five-tool players in college baseball and was selected by SK (now SSG) in the 2nd, 3rd round of the 2020 rookie draft. From the first year of his debut, he played full-time in the first team and made a mark with good outfield defense and quick feet. Last year, his third year, he played in all 144 games, batting average of 0.304, 10 homers, 61 RBIs, 93 runs scored, and 31 steals. showed Thanks to this, I enjoyed the joy of being on the national team following the All-Star.
Choi Ji-hoon said, “At the time when I wasn’t nominated, it was very difficult and I even thought, ‘Should I really quit baseball?’ I hope I don’t get nominated even if I go back.”
It was also evident through the reaction of rival Japan that Choi Ji-hoon has grown into a center fielder who represents the KBO league both in name and reality. Recently, Tokyo Sports, a Japanese media, said, “Korea seems to have selected Ji-hoon Choi, a fast-footed hitter, as the ‘joker’ to be put in at the last minute.” did. 먹튀검증
In response, Choi Ji-hoon said, “I don’t think I’ve ever expressed my patriotism like that, but it was reported like that. Of course, I’m the type of patriot. How do you know that…” and laughed, “It was an article that gave me confidence, and it’s a good thing. I think it would be great if there was a scene where I could change the atmosphere, whether it was defense or stealing.”