Eight years into his professional career, Hanwha shortstop Lee Do-yoon, 27, is blossoming in the spotlight.
Lee was drafted by Hanwha with the 24th overall pick in the 2015 second round after graduating from Bukil High School. Lee is a former youth national team member. However, contrary to expectations, he took a backseat in the pros. He didn’t get a single regulation at-bat until last season. He continued to live a “double life” between the first and second teams. He was also on active duty in the army. By last year, he was batting just .169 (34 for 201) in 152 games.
However, Lee has been fulfilling his potential this year. As of August 8, he is batting .296 (216-for-64) with one home run, 12 RBI, and 27 runs scored in 76 games in the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League. On the surface, her season doesn’t really stand out. But if you look at his second-half performance, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better one. Lee’s batting average in the second half of the season is .353 (60-for-202), which ranks first on the team and ninth in the league. While he’s been labeled as a “defensive player,” he’s also showing his true value as an all-around offensive player.
At the beginning of the season, Hanwha had a problem at shortstop. Oh Sun-jin, their main shortstop who was signed as a free agent last winter, was suffering from hamstring pain. Lee Do-yoon was the answer to their problem. Called up to the first team on May 20, Lee has been getting more playing time since June and is showing off the talent he had been hiding in the second half of the season. In particular, he is batting .323 (10-for-31) in his last 10 games. It’s too early to tell what his value will be, but his current form is scary.
Some say that his increased line-drive batting is the key to his breakout season. He was already a recognized hitter in the second team, and this year he has evolved into a “ball-hitting hitter” by focusing on timing his at-bats and hitting hard. “I think he learned how to survive in the first team as he got more opportunities,” said Hanwha hitting coach Jung Hyun-seok.안전놀이터
Lee’s family saved his life. Lee gave birth to his first son on March 3. Before the SSG match against Daejeon on the 7th, Lee said, “When I think of my wife, who pays a lot of attention to me even though it’s hard to raise a child, and my son, who was just born, I run harder. I think that’s the power of family. I am grateful to my wife and son.”
“I still don’t think of myself as a starter,” he said, “but if I go out to play, whether I’m a starter or a backup, I’m going to play. When I go out to play, whether as a starter or backup, I just think about doing my best and contributing to the team’s victory,” he said, adding, “I’m determined to stay on my toes so that I don’t become a flash in the pan.”