Kim Do-young (KIA Tigers) said in person that he is considering entering the Major League as his final goal. Fans are already looking forward to seeing how Kim Do-young, who recently performed well in the international arena, will perform in the Major League in the future.
The KIA team, including Kim Do-young, left for Irvine, USA, where KIA spring camp is located, through Incheon International Airport's first passenger terminal the previous day (23rd). The KIA team will sweat hard at the Great Park Baseball Complex and Okinawa Kin Stadium located in Irvine from the 25th to March 5.
Many Kia fans visited Incheon International Airport to cheer for the players ahead of their departure. Kim Do-young's fans were also among them. She visited the airport in person to express her support and heart to him.먹튀검증
At the center of last year's KIA championship was MVP Kim Do-young. Kim played in 141 games during the 2024 season and posted a batting average of 0.347 (189 hits in 544 at-bats), 38 homers, 109 RBIs, 143 runs and 40 steals (four failed attempts), and an on-base percentage of 0.647 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) of 1.067. In the Korean Series, Kim also had a batting average of 0.235 (four hits in 17 at-bats), five RBIs and five walks, including one homer, and enjoyed the joy of winning the title overall. With this strong performance, Kim swept away various trophies including the KBO MVP and third baseman Golden Glove.
There was one record that he had the best performance, but unfortunately failed to achieve. It was the first 40-40 milestone for a Korean player. The 40-40 milestone was set by Eric Thames (former NC Dinos) back in 2015, but has never been achieved by a Korean player.
Do you have another goal to achieve this goal this season? Kim Do-young told reporters ahead of her departure on the day, "I don't have 40 to 40 goals. I don't think I will be able to do that. I have confidence, but I still think I will play without being conscious of such records." On the off-season, Kim said, "I didn't want to go overseas for training in advance. Because I am an MBTI type I person (introvert) person, I can feel the energy coming up fast whenever I see Gwangju. My seniors gave me a lot of really good suggestions. However, I politely declined because I wanted to take more rest during the break period. I went to the center and prepared hard in my own way while doing the training that I had always done."
Many baseball fans have high expectations for Kim to advance to the Major League. Kim already proved her capability at international competitions. At the group stage of the World Baseball Softball Confederation Premier 12 tournament held in November last year, Kim played in five games with a batting average of 0.412 (7 hits in 17 at-bats), three homers, 10 RBIs and four runs, one walk, one stolen base, and an on-base percentage of 0.444 with a 1.059 on-base plus slugging percentage of 1.503. Notably, she hit a grand slam against Livan Moinello, the No. 1 ERA in the NPB Pacific League in the 2024 season.
Kim has received good evaluations internationally as well. The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) recently selected 10 players who performed well in the 2024 Premier 12 championship on its official social network service. And commentator Alex Cohen put Kim in third place after Jose Gaitan (Mexico) and Matt Shaw (U.S.). This was higher than Travis Bazana (Australia, 5th), who was drafted by the Cleveland Guardians as the first overall pick in last year's MLB rookie draft. "Even though Kim did not make it to the Super Round, he showed great strength and batting ability," he said.
What does Kim have in mind about advancing to the Major League? "My ultimate goal is (to advance to the Major League)," Kim said. "But I still have a long way to go. I want to be a player who can contribute to the KIA Tigers for now. That's the only thing I am playing baseball for." Asked if he often watches Major League games, he added, "Yes, I do. I sometimes look for and watch World Series or important games."
Last year, Kim Do-young achieved his best performance by winning the KBO MVP (best player) and the Golden Glove in the third baseman category. He set a record of 20 homers and 20 steals even before the first half ended, following the first 10 homers and 10 steals per month in the KBO league. Kim Do-young, who joined the 30-homer and 30-homer club in the youngest and least game in history, set a new record of the youngest home run (20 years, 10 months and 26 days) along with his 33rd home run of the season. Kim Do-young, who has posted various records including the third-ever 30 homers and 30 steals 100 RBIs and the least natural cycling hit at bat, also garnered four hits, one homer, three runs and five RBIs in the Korean Series, winning his first Korean Series title ring.
Thanks to such a good performance, he might feel a lot of pressure this season. However, Kim said, "I don't feel any pressure at all. As all players think, I think I should just do well and prepare well this year with a sense of responsibility."
This time, all the KIA teams and staff will use the business class on a round-trip flight to the U.S. with the support of Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui-sun. "When I say I go to a faraway country for spring camp, I worry a lot about that. I also change seats carefully. But I feel more comfortable without having to worry about that," Kim said. "I feel so happy playing for a team called the KIA Tigers."
Kim Do-young made 30 mistakes last year, which is somewhat more.