Half of the 10 professional baseball teams will start the 2023 season with a new captain.
It is not an easy position to be the captain of a team in professional baseball, which is a long-term race that lasts for more than seven months. Throughout the season, he has to take care of his individual performance as well as serving as a bridge between the team and the coaching staff.
Ahead of the start of the season, 5 out of 10 clubs have appointed new captains and entrusted them with important responsibilities. As the Samsung Lions have yet to decide on a captain, more teams may come up with a new captain.
Kiwoom Heroes Lee Jung-hoo (25) is the youngest captain this year. Lee Jung-hoo, born in 1998, wore the captain’s armband for the first time since his professional debut in 2017.
After the 2023 season, he is aiming to advance to the United States through the posting system, so his performance this year has become very important, but he did not hesitate to take the captaincy for the team.
Kiwoom’s choice with a ‘young claim’ is not unfamiliar. During the 2021 season, Kiwoom also entrusted the captaincy to Kim Hye-seong, then 22 years old, through a team vote.
Lee Jung-hoo expressed his aspirations, “I will create an atmosphere where all the players, regardless of age or year, can always come comfortably and talk and share their concerns.”
Among the newly appointed captains, the oldest is Jung Woo-ram (38) of the Hanwha Eagles.
Coach Carlos Subero singled out Jung Woo-ram as the captain and explained the reason as “a player who sets an example for all players before he is the best in the team.”
Jung Woo-ram, who had a hard time last year due to injuries and sluggishness, was given the crucial task of leading the emergency of the team, which had been at the bottom for three consecutive years, with his resurrection. Jung Woo-ram showed enthusiasm, saying, “I will live up to the expectations that the director trusted and entrusted to me.”
Ahead of the 2022 season, Son A-seop (35), wearing an NC uniform with a free agent (FA) contract, was appointed captain after the second season of joining the new team.
Son A-seop received the most support in the vote in which all players participated. It means that he melted into the team so quickly.
In Lotte Giants, where captain Lee Dae-ho (41) 카지노사이트 retired, Ahn Chi-hong (33) took over the baton. An Chi-hong, who will be eligible for free agency after the 2023 season, took over as captain and predicted a hotter year. An Chi-hong promised, “We will always do our best without forgetting that we are all one team.”
For the Doosan Bears, Heo Gyeong-min (33) will serve as the captain following Kim Jae-hwan (35). Heo Gyeong-min seeks advice from team senior Yang Eui-ji (36), who served as captain during the NC Dinos days, and is on the way to completing the mission.
Four teams will start the 2023 season without changing captains.
SSG Landers, which achieved its first combined victory last year, will be captained by Hanyusum (34) this year as well.
Oh Ji-hwan (33) for the LG Twins and Kim Sun-bin (34) for the KIA Tigers continue to wear the armband.
KT Wiz Park Kyung-soo (39) became the oldest captain among the 10 clubs after Lee Dae-ho left.
