Is this a sign of a rebound?
Hwang Dae-in (27), first baseman for the KIA Tigers, was notified of going to the Futures (2nd division) at the end of last month. In the Futures League, an armed protest was properly carried out. Hwang Dae-in appeared as the designated hitter twice in the Futures League match against SSG Landers at Ganghwa Stadium on the 14th and reported multiple hits with two homers, leading the team to a 4-1 victory.
Hwang Dae-in,메이저놀이터 who met SSG starter Gi-soon Lee in the first at-bat with no runners in the first inning, reported the first arch with a left-handed solo shot. In the second at-bat in the top of the 3rd inning, in a situation where there was no runner, Lee Ki-soon passed the ball to the same course and completed a home run in consecutive at-bats. After that, he withdrew from three at-bats with a strikeout, ground ball, and foul fly, finishing the game with 2 hits (2 homers) and 2 RBIs in 5 at-bats.
Prior to the match, Hwang Dae-in’s batting average in the Futures League was only 10.3 (4 hits in 28 at-bats). He recorded one home run and one double, but followed the sluggishness in the first team by failing to reduce the number of strikeouts in the early stages of the Futures League. However, as the number of strikeouts began to decrease recently, he began to show signs of a rebound, and it was revealed that his batting sensation was gradually improving as a catcher in consecutive hits.
The match between KIA Tigers and Samsung Lions was held at Samsung Lions Park in Daegu on the 17th. At the beginning of the 3rd inning, Hwang Dae-in, 2nd, 2nd and 3rd base, is hitting 2 RBIs in a timely manner. Hwang Dae-in, who played a full-time first baseman last year, recorded a batting average of .201.2 (25 hits, 3 homers, 18 RBIs in 118 at-bats) in 36 games with the first team this season. He also had a poor OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.583. He got 10 4 walks but struck out 36. He produced 122 hits last year, but has been criticized for his slow swing speed and overall movement this season. In the end, he went into readjustment of the futures without getting a clue to rebound even at the point where he exceeded 100 plate appearances.
KIA still needs Hwang Dae-in. He spent a full-time season in the 1st team last year with a right-handed hitter who can make long hits at any time, and accumulated a lot of experience as a first baseman. In a situation where outfielder Choi Won-joon is being put into first base immediately after being discharged from the military because he could not find a suitable first base alternative, Hwang Dae-in’s quick rebound is worth adding strength to the KIA air defense.
However, KIA is not always thirsty for Hwang Dae-in. Choi Won-joon not only has a good sense of hitting immediately after being discharged, but also handles his defense well. Hwang Dae-in’s strength as a right-handed gun can also be replaced by Byun Woo-hyeok, another infield resource. In the end, if Hwang Dae-in does not convince him that he can produce results in the first team stage beyond the bombing of the Futures League, the call-up seems distant.