The arch drawn over ‘Green Monster’… Bae Ji-hwan, ML’s first home run.
Pittsburgh, from the first at-bat in the top of the 2nd inning of the away game against Boston,
to the come-from-behind two-run four-fantasy Lake Bi… The team won 4-1,
Ji-hwan Choi was hitless in 4 at-bats, and
Bae Ji-hwan (24, Pittsburgh Pirates) was considered a player with super high school level talent since he was a student at Gyeongbuk High School. Bae Ji-hwan, who has both infield and outfield defense and quick feet, was mentioned as a candidate for the second round of the 2018 draft along with Kang Baek-ho (KT). However, Bae Ji-hwan chose to go to the United States just two hours before the start of the draft. Later, in the process, a ‘backward transaction’ was revealed, and in the aftermath of this, Bae Ji-hwan was driven to the point of becoming a lost child. At this time, Pittsburgh, seeing his potential, reached out.
Bae Ji-hwan went through Single A in 2019 and Double A in 2021 in Pittsburgh, 먹튀검증played an active part in Triple A last year, and finally entered the big leagues in September 2022. Considering that the minor leagues were canceled in the aftermath of the novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19) in 2020, it has been 4 seasons. This is one season faster than Choo Shin-soo (5th season) as a high school graduate. Bae Ji-hwan, who became the 26th Korean major leaguer, left a strong impression by showing hits and walks as well as stolen bases from the first game of his debut.
Bae Ji-hwan, who was proudly included in the entry for the opening match of the 2023 season due to such an activity, is showing his true value in the new season air defense. Bae Ji-hwan started as second baseman on number 8 in an away game against the Boston Red Sox held at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts on the 5th and hit a two-run home run in his first at-bat in the top of the second inning after the score was 0-1. Bae Ji-hwan pushed a 152 km/h fastball thrown by opponent starter Nick Piveta from second out and first base, sending the ball over the famous ‘Green Monster’ at Fenway Park. Bae Ji-hwan, who hit his first home run in his debut, became the 14th Korean player to hit an arch in MLB.
Bae Ji-hwan also shone in defense. Bae Ji-hwan, who moved from second baseman to center fielder in the 8th inning, jumped up in front of the fence to catch Raphael Debers’ hit ball, receiving applause. Pittsburgh won 4-1 thanks to Bae Ji-hwan’s come-from-behind home run. Bae Ji-hwan recorded 1 hit and 2 RBIs in 4 at-bats that day, and his batting average for the season was 0.214.
After the game, Bae Ji-hwan was delighted, saying, “I thought the left fielder would come running forward and catch it, but inside I hoped he would cross the fence.” When asked which one he liked better, he answered with a laugh, “I don’t hit many home runs, so home runs are better.”
Meanwhile, Choi Ji-man (32) of Pittsburgh, who played as the designated hitter No. 5, was silent with no hits in 4 at-bats, and his batting average for the season was lowered to 0.083.