KIA Tigers pitcher Choi Jimin had an amazing year in 2023. With his fast speed exceeding 150km/h, he settled in the must-win group of the first division, and became a gold medalist in the Hangzhou Asian Games.
Choi finished the 2023 season with a career-high record of 6 wins, 3 losses, 3 saves, 12 holds, and an earned run average of 2.12 44 strikeouts and WHIP 1.20 in 58 appearances (59.1 innings). Recognized as a pitcher with the best record in the team, Choi signed his salary for the 2024 season at W100 million, a whopping 233 percent increase from W30 million. This is the highest salary increase rate in the team.
Many people were surprised by Choi Jimin's storm growth. The Tigers' Hampyeong Reserve responded the same. Those who remembered Choi Jimin before joining the army gave a thumbs up to Choi Jimin, whose status has changed since his discharge.
KIA pitcher Park Kun-woo joined KIA as the fourth overall pick in the second round of 2021 and was recently discharged after joining the active service in the middle of the 2022 season.
"I was surprised to see Jimin grow so fast," said Park Gun-woo, who met him at Hampyeong Challengers Field before leaving for Kochi Futures Spring Camp on Feb. 8. When I joined the army, Jimin's fastball speed was around mid to late 130km/h. However, when I went to Geelong Korea in Australia, I thought my speed gun was wrong at first when I saw my speed go up to late 140km/h. And I was so curious how it changed since I went over 150km/h during the regular season."
There was definitely a reason for the change. Choi benefited from the increased speed of his pitches by taking classes at Hampyeong Seunghak School. "The training that I never did in the second tier team, including the driveline method with Futures team coach Son Seung-rak, seems to have resulted in more twisting effects in pitching posture," Choi told reporters mid-season last year. As a result, his pitches even increased. "I felt happy to see 150 km/h on the electronic display board." 스포츠토토
Park Kun-woo expressed his desire to see the "Hampyeong seungrak school" effect with Choi Jimin. "Not only Jimin but also (Hwang) Dong-na (Kwak) Do-gyu really changed the ball," Park said. "I thought the Hampyeong promotion system would have changed a lot after Director Son Seung-rak came, but when I came here, I felt that change more. I am playing a systematic exercise that I have never experienced before," he said with a nod.
Catcher Kwon Hyuk-kyung, like Park Geon-woo, who was recently discharged from active duty and is heading to Kochi camp, also envied Choi's changed performance. Kwon's wish is to join the first team as soon as possible in the 2024 season and play with Choi.
Kwon Hyuk-kyung said, "Jimin (Choi) is doing really well. I met him in Gwangju after the Asian Games gold medal and congratulated him, but I was envious of his completely different status. I also have a strong motivation to be different like that. I want to go to the first team and get Jimin's ball in person."
Now, Choi has escaped from a shaky ground and is considered a must-win group in the first division. Choi started training at the Canberra Spring Camp in Australia as a card that will take care of the seventh or eighth inning of the 2024 season. Choi, who has grown the most presence in Kia's mound as a left-hander, became an exemplary case for the team's storm growth in Hampyeong Challengers Field. We wonder what kind of improved performance and results Choi will show in the 2024 season.