The first home run at the new home stadium of the Hanwha Eagles, Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark, came in the bottom of the first inning from the first at-bat. Kim Tae-yeon (28), who started as the lead-off hitter, opened the first chapter of Daejeon's new stadium with a lead-off home run.

On the 17th, Kim Tae-yeon participated as the starting left fielder in the exhibition game against the Samsung Lions at Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark, hitting a lead-off home run from his first at-bat in the bottom of the first inning.

Facing Samsung's left-handed starter Baek Jeong-hyun, Kim Tae-yeon connected on the sixth pitch of a 2B-2S count, hitting a fastball at 139 km/h over the left-center field fence. The ball traveled 120 meters, marking Kim's first home run in the exhibition season and becoming the first home run at Daejeon's new stadium. The home run served as a stepping stone for Hanwha's 3-1 victory, signaling a positive start for Kim Tae-yeon. Hanwha marked 5 wins, 2 losses, and 1 tie following a two-game losing streak at the start of the exhibition season.

After the game, Kim Tae-yeon said, "I feel good to be part of a historic moment as the new baseball stadium opens and to be remembered. I will work harder," noting that he won't be greedy about hitting his first home run in the regular season, adding, "If you get greedy, the results may not turn out well. I will focus more on helping the team win."

The new stadium is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, which are expected to enhance players' performance. Kim Tae-yeon mentioned, "The lockers have become really big, and the weight room has also expanded. A sauna has been added, and overall, I am satisfied with the improvements."

As of this day, Kim Tae-yeon has a batting average of .400 (6 hits in 15 at-bats), 1 home run, 2 RBIs, 4 runs scored, 4 walks, and 4 strikeouts in 8 exhibition games, for an on-base percentage of .571, slugging percentage of .600, and OPS of 1.171. On the 13th against Lotte, he managed 3 hits in 3 at-bats with 2 walks, and on the 16th against NC, he was placed as the lead-off hitter and had 1 hit in 2 at-bats with 1 RBI and 1 walk, achieving multiple times on base. He also recorded one stolen base, showcasing his potential as a "running lead-off hitter."

Kim Tae-yeon stated, "Just because I am the lead-off hitter doesn’t change my mindset. Since I played as a lead-off hitter a bit last year, I don't feel burdened or nervous," adding, "Every player thinks of the opportunity to play. Competing for a starting position, I am working hard not to fall behind other players."

Despite having a clear advantage in mid-range hitting compared to competitors, Kim Tae-yeon has instead emphasized stealing bases as a new appeal point. He is aligning with the speed baseball that Manager Kim Kyung-moon pursues. Manager Kim commented, "Not only the fast players should steal bases. Even if you have decent speed, if the opposing pitcher is indifferent, you should be able to run. The base coach is giving a lot of steal signs."

Kim Tae-yeon may not be incredibly fast, but he is not slow either. From the start of spring camp, he expressed his determination, saying, "Stealing bases is about timing battles. I always want to run (on base)," and he has recorded 3 stolen bases from the practice games to the exhibition games, actively running when the opportunity arises. Not only stealing bases, but he is also demonstrating aggressive base running, attempting to advance to the next base.

With a total of 18 stolen bases in his 7-season career, and a maximum of only 5 in a single season, Kim Tae-yeon remarked, "If I set my mind to it, I can achieve 20 stolen bases. I believe in that," smiling. He added, "Coach Kim Jae-gul helps with understanding the habits of the opposing pitchers before the game. The coach says, 'If you see a habit, it's okay to go (to second base),' so I am running boldly," crediting Coach Kim Jae-gul for his efforts.

On the day he became the owner of the first home run at Daejeon's new stadium, Kim Tae-yeon is eager to align with Manager Kim Kyung-moon's style of running baseball as he aims for 20 stolen bases. He stated, "Everyone worked hard to prepare since camp, and the team atmosphere is good right now," adding, "If we don't obsess about immediate results and focus on winning daily, good results will follow."

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