Infielder Kim Do-young was classified as a top-rated rookie from early on. When he was at Gwangju Dongsung High School, he was already called the “second Lee Jong-beom.” He has sophisticated contact skills, fast feet, and strong shoulders. On top of that, he can hit even a single long hit. He was evaluated as a five-tool player. He joined KIA as its first designation in 2022. It surprised everyone. Another strong candidate was Moon Dong-ju from Hanwha Eagles who is from the same hometown. Moon Dong-ju is a pitcher who throws fast balls mid-to-late 150 kilometers. As such, he highly values Kim.고수익알바
“The two years I spent as a professional baseball player were daunting. Apart from adapting to the game, the shadow of injury that came unexpectedly was quite dark. A case in point was last season. He played in only 84 games. It was less than in the first year (103 games) since his debut. He fractured his left metatarsal (fifth) toe in the early days. He took commas for more than two months. This is not the end. At the Asian Professional Baseball Championship (APBC) held in November last year, he hurt himself while sliding headfirst to the first base. He was diagnosed with ligament rupture and scleromalacia fracture in his left thumb. He is on the operating table.
He failed to make full use of the off-season. Rehabilitation came first. He could not perform properly in the spring camp. He only posted a batting average of 0.154 in six games during the month of March. He started to speed up in April. He gained momentum as he got used to his batting form, which he changed before the season. Notably, he displayed a sharp upward trajectory after hitting four hits in the match against LG in Gwangju on Tuesday. “On the day I had four hits, I felt confident that I could advance,” Kim said, nodding his head, “I feel comfortable standing (at the plate).”
What should be noted is his long hit. He hit seven homeruns in April alone. He hit three homeruns in a row since his debut in the match against Hanwha Eagles in Daejeon on Wednesday last week. This is the first time since his debut. The highlight was the match against SSG in Incheon on Wednesday. He hit multiple homeruns. He hit Choi’s second cutter (141 kilometers) with runners at the first and second bases with one out in the top of the seventh inning, and flew well over the central fence. In the top of the ninth inning, he pulled Lee Ki-soon’s fastball (142 kilometers) with runners at the first and second bases with no outs. It was his second homer in a row, his seventh in the season, and his 1,177th in his career. He was responsible for five RBIs (three RBIs, the most in a single game).
He is full of confidence. “I can see the ball very well. I think my sense of play has reached its highest level,” he said smiling. He may want more. In the case of home runs, he already has the highest number of home runs in a season (seven in 2023). “I have no desire to hit long-distance shots at all. As I have always said, my goal is to play full-time. I am grateful just to be healthy and play games every day,” he stressed. “I try to make more shots when batting. I had a lot of double plays last year. I want to kill a fly ball even if I die.”