Professional baseball player Baek Jung-hyun (38) of the Samsung Lions aims for a resurgence with a new pitch.

Baek took the mound as a starter against the KT Wiz on the 27th at Akama Ballpark in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, recording 2 innings, 8 hits allowed, 1 walk, 1 strikeout, and 4 runs (3 earned).

Baek Jung-hyun, who joined Samsung with the second pick in the first round (8th overall) of the 2007 rookie draft, is a one-club man who has never left the team in 19 years. He has recorded 424 games (1,138⅓ innings) in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) League, with 67 wins, 62 losses, 24 holds, 2 saves, and an earned run average of 4.60.

After obtaining free agent (FA) status at the end of the 2021 season, Baek re-signed with Samsung in December of that year for an aggregates amount of 3.8 billion won, remaining with the team. His performance over the three years following the re-signing was unsatisfactory, with statistics showing 59 games (304 innings), 17 wins, 23 losses, and an earned run average of 4.91. Notably, last season, he struggled with 17 games (78⅔ innings), 6 wins, 5 losses, and an earned run average of 5.95, and by the end of the season, he served as a relief pitcher rather than a starting pitcher.

This season, Samsung bolstered its starting lineup by acquiring Choi Won-tae for an aggregates amount of 7 billion won. There is a strong possibility that four pitchers, including Ariel Hurado, Denny Reyes, Won Tae-in, and Choi Won-tae, will be in the starting rotation, with Lee Seung-hyun, Hwang Dong-jae, and others competing for the remaining spot.

However, a variable has arisen. Reyes sustained a stress fracture in his right foot during an internal evaluation game on the 22nd. He returned to Korea early on the 27th for a thorough examination and treatment. Depending on the severity of Reyes's injury, an additional starting pitcher may be needed. This increases the importance of Baek's role.

In an interview on the 25th, Baek Jung-hyun, who is competing for a starting pitcher position with his juniors, noted, "When one person steps back according to the times, another person emerges. I am actually glad that Seung-hyun and other players are performing well. As the season progresses, various variables such as injuries may arise. I think that whenever and wherever the team needs me, I have to go and fulfill my role well."

"The position hasn’t been decided yet," Baek said, adding, "I think I will be moving around a lot, playing in the middle, and stepping into a starting role if there are gaps in the starting rotation."

Baek Jung-hyun, who revealed that he is preparing a new pitch this year, said, "During last year's season, I was hit quite a bit with my changeup. So I was pondering whether I should sharpen my changeup or prepare another pitch. After asking around and considering it, I threw a forkball, and it's better than I expected, with decent responses from the batters. I need to work on my control, but I think it could become a good weapon."

"A few years ago, I threw a forkball," Baek said. "Back then, I couldn't control it well and was in a situation as a relief pitcher, so I had to face batters quickly. That’s why I couldn’t actively throw the forkball, but now it’s different. The grip and throwing feel aren’t very different. Back then, I threw without knowing much, but now I am throwing while looking for a point. It was okay in bullpen pitching, but I have to see how it goes during a game first," he expressed his expectations for the new pitch.

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