Now it is Kang Hyo-jong of the KIA Tigers, not Kang Hyo-jong of the LG Twins. This happened not immediately but only one year and six months later. KIA decided on the FA compensation player based on the future, not the present.
First-time designated fireballer Kang Hyo-jong will be appointed as Jang Hyun-sik’s FA compensation player and will wear the KIA uniform. KIA club officially announced on the 18th that it will take Kang Hyo-jong as a compensation player.
Right-hander Kang Hyo-jong, who graduated from Chungam High School, joined LG as the first designated player in 2021 and began his professional career. Kang Hyo-jong, who debuted as a starting pitcher in the first team of the 2022 season and won his first victory with five hits, four strikeouts, and two runs in five innings, left a regret with one win, two losses, a 6.23 ERA, 14 strikeouts, and 12 walks in seven games in the 2023 season.
Kang allowed two hits, two strikeouts, three walks and three runs during 1.1 innings in which he pitched in one game during the 2024 season. Kang pitched in nine games (43.1 innings), recording one win and three losses with a 4.78 ERA, 35 strikeouts and 28 walks in the 토토사이트 Futures League in the 2024 season.
An official from KIA explained the reason for the nomination, “We highly evaluated the growth potential as we joined the professional team with the first nomination, and there was no disagreement at the meeting with the coaching staff. We are about to rent the military in December, and we decided that it is a resource that will be of great help to the team if it grows further while serving in the military at Sangmu, so we designated Kang Hyo-jong as a compensation player.”
“At first, I had no idea that I could be nominated, but I kept hearing about it, so I thought I could go,” said Kang Hyo-jong, who contacted him after the announcement of the reward player. “When I first heard about it, I shed a lot of tears. I shed a lot of tears (laughs),” he said. “I’m also grateful that the KIA team judged me well. “Since you chose me even though your performance in the first team was not good, I want to show you a better pitch after your discharge.”
Kang’s tears welled up in his eyes as he left the team without showing proper performance as the first designated pitcher. A source from LG said, “There is no player that I would not regret when we say goodbye as compensation players. Leaving the military service in Sangmu, we have decided to be the 26th player in our team, and Kia seems to have made a good decision as well. He is a close player, but I hope he goes to Kia after his discharge and does well.”
Kang Hyo-jong said, “The coach, the coach, and the fans all had high expectations, but I’m sorry that I couldn’t make it. I think I’ve worked really hard in my own way, but I’m just sad that the results didn’t work out as well,” adding, “I only showed a bad picture as the first designated pitcher. Still, I want to thank and apologize to the LG fans for always supporting me.”
Kang will join the Korean Armed Forces athletic unit on Dec. 2 and be discharged from the military in June 2026. It is also expected that he will return to KIA and defend the starting rotation side by side with Yoon Young-chul, his junior at the school.
“I felt that my weakness was that I kept paying attention to my ball control, which made me feel even more daunted,” Kang said. “I will continue to practice and improve my pitching capability in an environment where I can continue to focus on baseball when I go to the Sangmu Baseball Team,” he added. “I believe (Yoon) Young-chul, my junior at school, will help me a lot in a year and a half (laughs). It would be great if Young-chul and I can keep the rotation of the team’s starting pitchers side by side after being discharged from the military.”
