Could the Hanwha Eagles have finally found a strong leadoff hitter? The 10-year veteran outfielder Kim Tae-yeon served as the leadoff in the opening series, swinging a batting average of .429, effectively catching the attention of manager Kim Kyung-moon. The opposing foreign ace mentioned Kim as the toughest hitter within Hanwha, highlighting a powerful weekend performance.

On the 22nd, Emmanuel De Jesus, who started in the opening game against Hanwha for the KT Wiz, was asked which Hanwha player posed the toughest challenge, and he immediately mentioned Kim Tae-yeon.

De Jesus reflected, saying, "Leadoff hitter Kim Tae-yeon was the toughest hitter. He was challenging in the first at-bat, and in the second at-bat, he made me throw a lot of pitches. He also fouled off many balls, which put me under a lot of stress on the mound."

In fact, Kim Tae-yeon started as the leadoff left fielder in the opening game against KT on the 22nd at Suwon KT Wiz Park and led the team to a comeback victory with a performance of 1 hit in 3 at-bats, 1 run batted in, and 1 walk. His ability to relentlessly frustrate the pitcher stood out, as he recorded a flyout to center field after an 8-pitch at-bat in the first inning and connected a 1-RBI single to left field on the 10th slider from De Jesus in the third inning with two outs and runners on second base. His outstanding performance increased the stress on the opposing ace.

Kim Tae-yeon also took to the field as the leadoff left fielder in the game against KT on the 23rd, continuing his momentum from the opening game with 2 hits in 4 at-bats and 1 run. After a flyout to left field in the first inning and a strikeout in the third inning, he appeared as the leadoff batter in both the sixth and eighth innings, successfully hitting a single to left field. In the sixth inning, after reaching second base on Min Hyeon-bin's walk, he scored on No Si-hwan's single to center.

Kim Tae-yeon's performance in the opening series was a batting average of .429 (3 hits in 7 at-bats), 1 run batted in, and 1 run scored, with a slugging percentage of .429 and an on-base percentage of .500. It was a record that could not be better for a leadoff hitter.

Manager Kim Kyung-moon, who failed to find a clear leadoff hitter last season, dedicated much time during the Australian and Japanese spring camps to discovering a leadoff batter. Initially, he intended to assign the leadoff spot to Shim Woo-jun, who was signed for a 4-year, 5 billion won free agency contract; however, it was concluded that it was unsuitable for Shim, who already took on the physically demanding position of shortstop. Kim brought in Kim Tae-yeon, Lee Jin-young, and Lim Jong-chan for leadoff auditions during the Japanese camp, ultimately captivated by Kim Tae-yeon's .400 batting average and .571 on-base percentage across 8 exhibition games.

Thanks to his performance in the opening series, Kim Tae-yeon is expected to receive steady opportunities at the leadoff position for the time being. Manager Kim Kyung-moon noted, "While it is great for the leadoff hitter to get a hit, making the pitcher throw many pitches like in the opening game is also beneficial for the team," and added, "Now that the regular season is starting, I want the players to feel comfortable in their positions rather than changing the batting order."

Kim Tae-yeon, a 10-year veteran outfielder who graduated from Yatap High School, was selected in the 2nd round of the 2016 rookie draft by Hanwha with the 59th pick. Last season, he hit .291 in 126 games with 120 hits, 12 home runs, and 61 runs batted in, posting a slugging percentage of .436 and an on-base percentage of .363, earning him the full-time leadoff position this year. Kim also gained attention as the owner of the first home run at Daejeon Hanwha Life Eagles Park on the 17th.

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