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| ▲ In this file photo from June 25, 2023, Kiwoom Heroes catcher Kim Dong-heon (L) bumps fists with starter Ian McKinney during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game against the Doosan Bears at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ Kim Dong-heon of the Kiwoom Heroes hits a single against the SSG Landers during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on July 1, 2023, in this photo provided by the Heroes. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
baseball team-catcher
KBO club manager gives teen catcher mental breather
By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, July 4 (Yonhap) -- After logging 57 games and nearly 300 innings behind the plate, Kiwoom Heroes rookie catcher Kim Dong-heon is finally getting a breather.
Manager Hong Won-ki said Tuesday he has taken Kim off the active roster, the first time this season that the 18-year-old isn't with the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) club. Kim will now get a physical and mental break in the minors, Hong said.
"He has been going at full speed since spring training, and we felt he needed to take some time off," Hong told reporters in a scrum before hosting the NC Dinos at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. "He had also talked about some mental fatigue."
Kim is still 11 days away from his 19th birthday. Drafted in the second round last year, Kim quickly established himself as the Heroes' primary catcher, and has earned high marks for his maturity and solid defensive skills.
Early last month, Kim was named to the South Korean under-24 national team competing at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, this fall. He will be just the third KBO rookie to represent the country at the Asiad.
Hong said he remained high on Kim's potential for further growth.
"Rather than talk about his skills, I'd just like to say he has spent important moments up here that will help him develop," the manager said. "For someone that young, he has already had a ton of experience."
Hong said he "absolutely didn't imagine" Kim would still be with the KBO club, not in the minors, this time of year.
"It's up to players to pounce on an opportunity when they see it," Hong added. "And it's all thanks to his hard work that he has been able to stay here this long."
As for his expectations for Kim going forward, Hong said, "I am not really counting on him to make drastic changes in the minors. I hope he can look back on the first half of this season, and come back more mature both technically and mentally."
Once a player is demoted to the minors in the KBO, he must spend at least 10 days there. The KBO will go into the annual All-Star break starting on July 14, meaning Kim won't be back until the second half of the season.
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