Kim Hye Sung (25 years old, Kiwoom Heroes) and Kang Baekhu (25 years old, KT Wiz) received an identity check request from the Major League Baseball (MLB) Secretariat.
KBO stated on the 31st: “We received a request to inquire about the identities of Kim Hye Sung and Kang Baek Ho from the MLB Secretariat, and informed that ‘the relevant players are players belonging to Kiwoom and Kt respectively.'”
Major League Baseball’s status check is a preliminary process for entering foreign leagues such as the United States and Japan. Players who play in Korea, such as the KBO League or Korean high school baseball players, must obtain an identity check request from the Major League Baseball Administration or the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) Administration before they can enter foreign countries.
At the same time, if there are plans to introduce Korean players, the relevant league teams must submit an identity inquiry application to the Secretariat. After the relevant league affairs bureau asks the KBO League again for identity inquiries and replies, it will enter the formal introduction process.
Of course, an identity inquiry does not necessarily mean entering a foreign league or signing a contract with the team that applied for it. In recent years, it can be seen that players who have no intention of exploring overseas expansion and players who have not actually signed a contract with a Major League Baseball team have also undergone status checks.
But the situation of Jin Huicheng and Jiang Baekhu is different. Because as outfielders of the same age who turn 25 this year, they are not only the best players in the KBO League, but also players who have attracted attention in Major League Baseball and other major leagues for several years.
In particular, Kim Hye-sung plans to advance to the Major League Baseball through a post system of closed competitive bidding after the end of this season. For this reason, Kim Hye signed an agency contract with CAA Sports, a major American sports agency owned by “super star” Shohei Ohtani (Los Angeles Dodgers), with the consent of the Kiwoom Heroes team this season.
This kind of Kim Hye-sung is the top shortstop currently active with exquisite batting ability and speed, and excellent defensive ability. Since joining the Kiwoom team (currently the Kiwoom team) with the 7th pick in the first round of the second round of the KBO Rookie Selection in 2017, he has grown into an infielder representing South Korea.
In 953 games in 8 seasons so far this year, Kim Hye-sung has a batting average of 0.304 (3,433 effective at-bats, 1,043 hits), 37 home runs, 386 RBIs, 591 runs, 211 stolen bases, and outs. 0.364 slugging percentage, 0.403 OPS, 0.767 performance. Especially in the 2021 season after growing into a main infielder, he won the Gold Glove Award as a shortstop, 2022 and 2023 as a second baseman. He won the title of stolen base once in 2021. This season, he has a batting average of 0.326, 11 home runs, 75 RBIs, 30 stolen bases, and an OPS (out base rate + slugging rate) of 0.841.
This is the fifth time that previous Kiwoom players have attempted to enter the top league. In the Heroes franchise, Kang Jung-ho (2015), Park Byung-ho (2016), Kim Ha-sung (2021), and Lee Jung-hoo (2024) have appeared on the top league stage. Known as the Major League Baseball Academy, many outfielders enter the top league, so whether Kim Hye-sung can become a new Major League player is attracting attention.
Jiang Baihu’s situation is different. Kang Baekho, who entered the KT team with the 1st pick in the second round of the KBO Rookie Selection in 2018, has been attracting attention as a new generation of giants since then. After hitting 29 home runs in his first season, he began to pay attention to his exquisite batting and was expected to become a hitter representing Korea. At the beginning of his career, Jiang Baekhu attracted more attention from Major League Baseball teams than Lee Jung-hou, who signed a six-year, US$113 million contract with the San Francisco Giants.
Jiang Baekhu, who has been known as a “genius hitter” since high school, showed his pursuit of victory in the professional league. As of this season, Jiang Baekhu has achieved a batting average of 0.307 (3006 effective at-bats, 924 hits), 121 home runs, 504 RBIs, 499 points, 38 stolen bases, an out-base percentage of 0.388, and 100 hits in 802 games. A batting average of 0.494 and an OPS of 0.882.
However, after falling into a downturn in 2023 due to injuries and other reasons, with a batting average of 0.245/6 homers/29 RBIs in 62 games, Jiang Baekhu also hit 0.265/8 homers/39 RBIs last year. With the ball rate sluggish, he has been away from the attention of Major League Baseball teams to a certain extent. But in 144 games this season, his batting average was 0.289/26 home runs/96 RBIs/out base rate 0.460/slugging rate 0.480/OPS 0.840. He was successfully resurrected and seemed to be favored by the American professional again. Major League Baseball teams are concerned.
Still, not in the MLB just yet. A relevant person familiar with Kang Baekho’s situation explained, “The player has no immediate plans to enter the Major League Baseball after the end of this season.” The KT team also conveyed this fact and stated that the identity inquiry will not lead to an actual transfer. .
[金元益 MK体育记者]
