The identity of ‘KBO Leaguer’ Kim Ha-seong (28, San Diego Padres) was clear. The shortstop with the best slugging power. He hit 133 home runs in 891 career games. He recorded more than 20 home runs for three consecutive years (season 2016-2018), and in the 2020 season, just before advancing to the major leagues (MLB), he was named the third shortstop to hit 30 home runs (based on a single season).
Immediately after advancing to the MLB, he struggled with pitchers exceeding 150 km / h. In the first season of his debut (2021), the batting average against fast balls such as four-seam fastball (fastball) two-seam fastball (fastball) cut fastball (cutter) sinker was only 0.231.
But last season (2022) this record rose to 0.262. His batting average against fast balls this season was 0.246, but his slugging percentage was 0.408. Showing better coping skills every year.
It also appears in the records. Ha-seong Kim started as the first batter and second baseman in an away game against the 2023 MLB Cincinnati Reds held at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA on the 3rd (Korean time), and in the situation where there were no runners in the second runner in the beginning of the 8th inning, opposing pitcher Andrew Abbott He hit his 10th home run of the season against. He came close to the most personal single-season home runs (11) recorded last season (2022) by one difference. The first half isn’t over yet.
His hitting feel is better lately. He hit 5 home runs in 10 games he appeared in. He broke the record for most monthly home runs (4) in June, and also drew an arch in his second appearance in July. His season batting average is 0.258 and slugging percentage is 0.418.
All five of his recent home runs were fastballs. In the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on the 30th of last month, which was his ninth home run, he hit a fastball of 156.6 km/h (97.3 miles per hour) from opponent pitcher Luis Ortiz and crossed the left wall. MLB.com reported on this game, “It was the fastest ball (pitcher’s) ball made with a home run during the three seasons (2021-2023) that Kim Ha-seong played in MLB.”
In the game against the Washington Nationals on June 26, Ha-seong Kim hit opponent pitcher Jordan Weems’ 156.1 km/h fastball and 97 mph fastball and crossed the left wall. Until last year, Kim Ha-seong made a 97-mile fastball into a home run only once.토토사이트
In the game against Washington on June 24, which was the 7th home run, left-hander Patrick Corbin’s 147.9km/h sinker, and the previous day (23rd) against the San Francisco Giants, he hit Jake Newnis’ 147.1km/h sinker and hit a home run.
Kim Ha-seong, who shows improved batting ability every season and is showing the aspect of the KBO League’s representative ‘Geopo infielder’. His team, San Diego, is struggling compared to his strength, with only 38 wins and 46 losses this season, but Kim Ha-seong is shining every day.