“We’ll make sure he can be seen in the first team.”
The Doosan Bears announced on May 25 that they “executed a one-for-one trade with SSG Landers to acquire right-handed pitcher Kim Jung-woo in exchange for outfielder Kang Jin-sung.”메이저놀이터
After graduating from Dongsang High School, Kim joined the SK Wyverns (now SSG) with the first pick in the 2018 KBO Draft. His first-team experience was limited to one game in the 2019 season. He allowed one run (one earned) in one inning.
Doosan said, “We expect the right-hander to provide strength in the bullpen.”
Kim was informed of the trade at SSG’s secondary camp in Ganghwa Island, Incheon, on the 25th and visited Jamsil Stadium on the 26th to greet his teammates before the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League game against SSG at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul.
“Yesterday, I think I was busy receiving calls from seniors and juniors,” Kim said before the game, “I was in Ganghwa Island when I heard the news. At first, I felt dazed, but then I was excited and thought, ‘I can be traded, too. I was excited and knew I had to work hard for my new team.”
For Kim, it was the first time in his professional career that he changed teams. “I didn’t expect it, but I always played baseball with the idea of doing my best wherever I am. “I didn’t expect it, but I’ve always thought about doing my best wherever I am,” he said. “It’s a new team, so it’s unfamiliar, but I’ll have to work hard to adapt quickly and show a good performance.
When Kim arrived at the locker room, he had a short conversation with coach Lee Seung-yup. “Coach Lee said, ‘Let’s do our best,'” he said. I said, ‘I’ll do my best,'” he said, adding, “(Kwak) Bin played with me in the youth national team, (Chung) Chul-won has known me since elementary school, (Kim) Tae-geun is my brother, (Lee) Yoo-chan is my brother, and (Park) Shin-jirang lives with me in the commercial department. Yesterday, I got a lot of calls, and I said, ‘Let’s do our best together,'” he said.
Kim has appeared in 14 games for the Futures League this season, posting a 2-1 record with four saves and a 1.84 ERA. At Doosan, he will first gain experience with the Future Team.
“I need to do well in the Future League to make it to the first team,” Kim said. You have to show good form to get a chance to make the first team. If I do my best and work hard, I will be able to make it.”
Kim said hello to the Doosan and SSG fans. He said, “There are many Doosan fans who don’t know me because I wasn’t in the first team much. From now on, I will show my face frequently in the first team so that they can recognize me. Please look forward to it and I will do my best to make a good appearance,” he said.
He added, “To the SSG fans, I thank them for their support even though I didn’t play well for six years. I’m sorry for that,” he said, adding, “I’ll do my best in the new team.”