With the bold shift to catcher and the role of first batter, the upcoming 2025 season is expected to be a new challenge and opportunity for 'genius hitter' Kang Baek-ho (KT Wiz).
Kang Baek-ho returned to Korea through Incheon International Airport on the afternoon of the 6th with the KT team, after finishing the second spring camp in Okinawa, Japan. He met with reporters at the airport, revealing his honest thoughts on catcher training and the first batter role.
While Kang Baek-ho has shown genius in hitting, he has struggled defensively as he has switched between outfield and first base. He has won the Golden Glove award for first baseman for two consecutive years in 2020 and 2021, but defense has always been a negative aspect that undermined the value of the genius hitter. He has frequently played as a designated hitter in his mid-20s due to not being assigned a clear role in defense.
Manager Lee Kang-cheol suddenly proposed a shift to catcher for Kang Baek-ho at the end of March last year. Faced with concerns about backing up starting catcher Jang Sung-woo, the decision was made to develop Kang, who had played both catcher and pitcher in high school, as a secondary catcher, a move that has proven to be a 'master stroke' for him. Despite it being his first year as a catcher, Kang stood out by wearing the catcher’s mask for a considerable time with 30 games and 169⅔ innings, receiving systematic catcher training for the first time with battery coach Jang Jae-joong during this spring camp.
Kang Baek-ho noted, "In fact, I faced many difficulties last year as I wasn't fully prepared to be a catcher, and I often found myself in situations where I didn't know what to do. I practiced a lot during this camp and faced the most actual games. I have gained confidence in being a catcher," adding, "I also communicated a lot with the pitchers. I learned many things while understanding the feelings of each pitcher."
Kang Baek-ho is set to take on the first batter role along with being a catcher for the new season. Manager Lee Kang-cheol has envisioned a powerful top of the lineup consisting of Kang Baek-ho, Mel Rojas Jr., Heo Kyung-min, and Jang Sung-woo to maximize offensive power, and announced the decision at the airport the previous day, stating, "Kang Baek-ho will be the first batter this year."
Regarding the lead-off duty, Kang Baek-ho said, "The first batter gets many opportunities at the plate and is in a lineup that starts a little earlier. Since I will be the opener of the game, I need to do well against the starting pitcher."
However, Kang Baek-ho does not plan to change his approach just because he has become the first batter. He expressed, "There are situations where you need to see the ball a lot and situations where you need to be picky regardless of batting order. I don’t necessarily want to be trapped by being a first batter. I feel like that would put me in a bind," adding, "It would be better to showcase our team’s color and play a little more aggressively. I don’t think they assigned me to the first position just because they want me to see a lot of pitches and hit a lot of fouls."
According to the player salary contract announced by KT in January for the 2025 season, Kang Baek-ho signed a contract worth 700 million won, an increase of 141.4% from the previous 290 million won. It was the highest increase rate and amount in the club's history. After ending his period of struggle last year, he finally reclaimed his status as a genius hitter, hitting a jackpot contract in his pre-free agency season.
When asked about the pressure of this, Kang Baek-ho said, "Being a professional athlete means carrying a burden every year. You cannot avoid pressure in any situation. You always need to be cautious and prepare thoroughly," adding, "However, just because it’s a pre-free agency season doesn’t mean I feel more pressure. If I trust myself and play more boldly, I believe there will be good results. Looking back, I regret not being bold enough, but this year, I want to play more boldly in my style to minimize regrets."
If Kang Baek-ho finishes this year successfully, he could aim for free agent status along with selection for the World Baseball Classic (WBC) national team in March next year. However, this was not his priority. He stated, "Honestly, I’m not the type to look far ahead into the future. First, it’s important to play this season without regrets. Of course, if I get to participate in the WBC, I will do so with pride, but the exhibition game in two days is more important right now. I will prepare my body while considering my priorities."
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