The prospect who was dubbed “Super Rookie” Kim Do-Young’s rival throughout his high school career has finally made his first first-team appearance. However, he couldn’t get his first drink. He was disappointing in both offense and defense.

The KIA Tigers removed infielder Hong Jong-pyo from the roster ahead of their game against the LG Twins in Gwangju on April 28 and called up second-year outfielder Yoon Do-hyun instead. It was Yoon’s first roster spot.

Yoon was known as “Kim Do-young’s rival” in Gwangju. Kim Do-young of Gwangju Dongseong High School and Yoon Do-hyun of Gwangju Ilgyo High School naturally became rivals. Until their sophomore year, it was hard to tell who was better, but in their junior year, Kim Do-young’s breakout performance led to him being drafted in the first round, while Yoon Do-hyun was selected in the second round with the 15th pick. Rivals playing for the same team.

Last year, while Kim Do-young was being hailed as a “super rookie” after winning the batting title in an exhibition game, Yoon Do-hyun had to watch on TV. On March 14 last year, he fractured the metacarpal bone in his right hand after colliding with a fellow defender while fielding in an exhibition game against the Samsung Lions in Daegu. His rehabilitation was lengthy, and his 2022 season was over.

This year’s season was also interrupted by a hamstring injury early on, but he quickly rehabilitated and started playing in the Futures League on March 3, and finally made his first team debut on March 28.

He showed off his power in the Futures League. He didn’t have a great batting average, going 2-for-38 (9-for-9), but he hit three home runs and showed off his long ball. 스포츠토토

He got his chance to play quickly. After Byun Woo-hyuk, who was the starting third baseman for the LG Electronics on the day, made an unfortunate throwing error in the first inning and struck out in his at-bat in the second inning, KIA manager Kim Jong-guk brought in Yoon Do-hyun in place of Byun. It would have been nice to see some good hitting from the start, but reality is reality.

In his first at-bat as the leadoff hitter in the bottom of the fifth inning, trailing 0-7, Yoon was unable to hit the ball and returned to the dugout. Facing Im Chan-kyu, LG’s best pitcher of late, Yoon let a first-pitch slider fly, swung wildly at a 110-mph curveball for a 2S count, and swung wildly again at a 115-mph curveball for a 3S count. Three strikes.

The defense was also disappointing. In the bottom of the seventh inning, leadoff hitter Park Dong-won hit a ball that flew toward the third base dugout and missed the catch. Yoon Do-hyun, who quickly went to the dugout, chased the ball as it curved inward, but couldn’t catch it. It was ruled an error.

He came to bat for the second time in the bottom of the seventh inning with the bases loaded, but was replaced by pinch-hitter Kim Kyu-sung.

Kim suffered a broken left pinky toe while running the bases against the SSG Landers on April 2. He has been receiving treatment in Japan and is expected to return in July at his current pace.

Before Kim returns, Yoon Do-hyun will have to step up. I wonder if we’ll see the one-hit wonders he had in the Futures.