Former LG Twins pitcher Han Seon-tae, “the first non-elite player to ever play professional baseball,” is well-known for his special resume. He joined the professional league with the 95th overall pick in the 10th round of the 2019 draft, but he made his first-team debut the same year. However, the myth didn’t last long. Han was released by LG at the end of the 2022 season, and now he continues to throw the ball in the Industrial League.
Han took the mound as a starting pitcher for Gyeonggi Province in the final match against South Chungcheong Province at the third KBSA (Korea Baseball Softball Association) provincial and provincial baseball tournament held at Hanwha Life Eagles Park in Daejeon on Thursday. In the final match, in which the game was won 9-3, Han displayed good pitching by allowing two runs in six innings. He was a little worried because he pitched four innings in a semi-final against Gwangju on Sunday, but he took charge of six innings and won the Most Valuable Player and Outstanding Player Award.
When I met him after the game, he was still playing baseball with a bright look on his face. He kept smiling even when he was in a crisis. Despite unfamiliar and difficult training as a professional, he still had fun playing baseball. “I keep playing baseball while playing around. Even when I am in a crisis, I try to cover up with laughter. I’m still okay. I think I’m in trouble if I get hit, but I’m hypnotizing myself until I get hit,” Han said.
93 pitches in six innings are the number of innings and pitches that have never been thrown in a professional baseball game where he played as a bullpen pitcher. The same applies to social baseball as well. “In fact, social baseball (for former players) is limited to innings, and hence is limited to two or three innings. This is why I have never played in such a large number of games. It is the first time except when I was a non-player, and when I was a non-player in social baseball before I entered the professional league,” Han said. 먹튀검증
Having been released after the 2022 season, Han was aiming to re-enter the professional baseball league until last year. I also knocked on the door of entertainment programs featuring retired players. But now I have decided to pursue reality. “I tried as a player until last year, but I’ve heard a lot about my old age,” Han said. “Starting this year, I am giving lessons to amateur baseball players in Anyang. Since I am from an amateur league, I am thinking that if I can teach my skills to those who need help, it will be more advanced. That’s how I learned how to play baseball, which has become more interesting.”
“In a way, I have reached a compromise with reality. It can be said that the dream of becoming a professional baseball player is over, but baseball is not over yet. Since I started because I liked baseball and went to the professional league, wouldn’t I keep doing it as long as I don’t hate baseball?” he said. “I’m happy now that I can play baseball.”
Although he is not a professional baseball player now, there are fans who support Han Sun-tae since he began to have the title of “the first professional baseball player from a non-elite player.” Han Sun-tae said, “A lot of people came to the ballpark today and cheered for me on my SNS account. I want to say thank you so much,” and added, “I’m so happy to be able to show you how I can throw like this. It’s good to throw well, but even if I didn’t throw well, I can show you how I throw. I hope many people don’t forget it yet.”
