KIA Tigers first baseman Hwang Dae-in (27) was sent to the Futures (second team) late last month. He made a strong show of force in the Futures League. Hwang Dae-in batted second in the lineup against the SSG Landers in the Futures League at Ganghwa Stadium on Thursday and recorded a multi-hit game with two home runs to lead his team to a 4-1 victory.
In his first at-bat with the bases loaded in the top of the first inning, Hwang faced SSG starter Lee Ki-soon and led off with a solo shot to left field. In his second at-bat in the top of the third inning, with the bases loaded, Hwang completed his back-to-back home runs by sending Lee’s pitch over the same course. He struck out, grounded out, and fouled out in his next three at-bats, finishing the game 2-for-5 with two home runs and two RBIs.
Prior to this game, Hwang was batting just 1-for-14 in the Futures League (4-for-28). He had one home run and one double, but his early Futures League struggles included an inability to reduce his strikeout rate. However, he has shown signs of rebounding as of late, as his strikeouts have begun to drop, and he has shown that he is starting to feel more comfortable hitting for power.
Hwang, who was the full-time first baseman last year, is batting just 2-for-1 with 25 doubles, three home runs, and 18 RBIs in 118 at-bats in 36 games for the first team this season. His OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) was also poor at .583. He drew 10 walks and struck out 36 times. After generating 122 hits last year, 스포츠토토 he was criticized for his lack of swing speed and overall athleticism this season. As a result, he was sent to the Futures Realignment after failing to show any signs of rebounding even after reaching 100 at-bats.
Kia still needs Hwang Dae-in. He’s a right-handed slugger who can produce long balls at any time, and he also has some experience defending first base after spending a full season with the first team last year. With outfielder Choi Won-jun being pushed straight into first base after his military discharge, Hwang Dae-in’s quick rebound is a welcome addition to the KIA offense.
But KIA isn’t just hanging on to Hwang Dae-in. Choi Won-jun has not only been hitting well since returning from the military, but also playing solid defense. Another infield resource, Byun Woo-hyuk, can fill Hwang’s role as a right-handed bat, which is his strength. In the end, unless Hwang Dae-in can convince us that he can go beyond the Futures League bombing and produce solid results at the first team level, a call-up seems unlikely.
