New KBO draft pick pursuing two-way dreams

All News 09:48 September 16, 2022

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, Sept. 16 (Yonhap) -- Shohei Ohtani, the two-way sensation from Japan, has set Major League Baseball (MLB) on fire the past couple of seasons with brilliance of historic proportions on the mound and at the plate. The Los Angeles Angels star won the American League (AL) MVP award last year and is a strong contender for the honor this year.

Will South Korea have its own two-way star, someone who can take over games both as a pitcher and a hitter?

Kim Geon-hee, a recent first round pick in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), will give it a shot.

At the annual KBO draft Thursday, the Kiwoom Heroes used their sixth overall pick on Kim, who has split his time at Wonju High School as pitcher and catcher this year.

Wonju High School pitcher-catcher Kim Geon-hee (C) poses with Lee Sang-won (L), head of scouting for the Kiwoom Heroes, and Ko Hyung-wook (R), general manager of the Heroes, after being selected sixth overall by the club during the annual Korea Baseball Organization draft at Westin Josun Hotel in Seoul on Sept. 15, 2022. (Yonhap)

The KBO hasn't had a two-way player since the former Haitai Tigers star Kim Sung-han, who pulled off the double duty from the inaugural KBO season in 1982 to 1986.

Kim Geon-hee, 18, was officially drafted as catcher but said he wasn't ready to give up on pitching yet.

"I won't lean one way or another right now. If I have an opportunity to play both positions as a pro, I will be prepared to learn as much as I can," Kim told reporters after the draft. "I am confident I can play well at any position."

So far in 2022, Kim has pitched to a 1.29 ERA in 13 2/3 innings, allowing just two hits while striking out 14. As a hitter, Kim has batted .378 with a home run and nine RBIs in 16 games.

Kim has a strong arm, and some scouts view him as a pitcher in the long run. He can get his fastball up to 148 kilometers per hour (91.9 miles per hour), and he throws a hard slider.

Wonju High School pitcher-catcher Kim Geon-hee speaks on the stage after being chosen with the sixth overall pick by the Kiwoom Heroes at the Korea Baseball Organization draft at Westin Josun Hotel in Seoul on Sept. 15, 2022. (Yonhap)

Today, any ballplayer who wants to pitch and hit at the same time will draw comparisons to Ohtani, now the gold standard as the greatest two-way player in major league history. Kim was no exception.

"Honestly, I've never thought I can be as good as Ohtani," Kim said. "But if I keep putting in the work, maybe I will get close to his level."

Kim said he looks up to Ohtani not just for his baseball skills but also for his character.

"He is a great person and has an unbelievable work ethic in the way he approaches baseball," Kim said. "On top of being a great player, I would also like to be a good, hard-working person off the field."

The Heroes general manager Ko Hyung-wook said the team will remain open-minded about their latest first round pick's pursuit of two-way dreams.

"Kim Geon-hee can do it all. He is such a versatile player," Ko said. "Having him on the team will push us to tackle new, difficult challenges in our player development."