KT Wiz’s finishing pitcher Kim Jae-yoon (33), who will qualify as a free agent (FA) after the 2023 season, has revealed an extraordinary determination.
Kim Jae-yoon, who graduated from Whimoon Middle School and Whimoon High School, participated in the 2008 Edmonton World Youth Baseball Championship and played all games as a catcher, contributing to the championship.
In 2009, he signed a contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks for a down payment of $150,000, and briefly raised his dream of playing in the big leagues. However, his life in the United States was not easy, and he returned to Korea at the end of 2012 and served in the military as an active duty soldier.
After that, he was nominated by KT in the 2015 draft. Although his minor league performance was not good, KT highly evaluated young military catcher Kim Jae-yoon.
Immediately after joining KT, Kim Jae-yoon chose the adventure of becoming a pitcher at the recommendation of the club. This choice of Kim Jae-yoon, who has a fast ball, was a success as a result.
Since May 2015, it has been established as a winning team in the first team, and in 2016, it set the record for the most saves in the history of a team franchise player with 8 wins, 1 loss and 14 saves.
At the time, KT’s performance was not good, so not many people paid attention to Kim Jae-yoon, but after that, he grew more and achieved a career high with 5 wins, 3 losses and 21 saves in the 2020 season. As the team also finished the regular season in second place, the spotlight gradually turned to Kim Jae-yoon.
The 2021 season was better. He showed a better appearance with 4 wins, 3 losses and 32 saves, and the team won the first combined championship, and Kim Jae-yoon was given the modifier ‘finishing the winning team’. 카지노
In the 2022 season, he recorded 9 wins, 7 losses and 33 saves. Although Jae-yoon Kim made blown saves several times at the end of the season, making it difficult for the team to fight for the rankings at the end of the season, Jae-yoon Kim kept victories far more often.
Kim Jae-yoon, who achieved 30 saves for two consecutive years, is preparing for the 2023 season with more determination.
Kim Jae-yoon, who recently met with News 1 at KT’s spring camp magazine, Tucson Kino Sports Complex in Arizona, USA, said, “I am familiar with the geography of this place,” and recalled, “I was lonely and hungry during my life in the United States, but looking back, it is a memory.”