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| Kim Hyung-jun / Photo courtesy of NC Dinos |
Kim Hyung-jun vows to honor the weight of the national team jersey
NC Dinos’ catcher Kim Hyung-jun, who has joined Team Korea for the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), shared his determination for the upcoming tournament.
The KBO’s Technical Committee announced on the 10th that Kim Hyung-jun has been selected to replace Hanwha’s Choi Jae-hoon, who is unable to participate in the WBC due to injury.
The initial 30-man roster announced on the 6th included Park Dong-won (LG Twins) and Choi Jae-hoon as catchers. However, after Choi suffered a finger injury during Hanwha’s winter training, Kim was called up to fill the vacancy.
Kim posted a .232 batting average with 18 home runs, 55 RBIs, and a .734 OPS in the 2025 season. He also earned the KBO League’s Gold Glove award for catchers.
Kim’s international experience includes appearances in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, the 2023 Asia Professional Baseball Championship (APBC), and the 2024 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Premier12.
Speaking through the NC Dinos organization, Kim expressed, “It’s an honor to represent Korea in a prestigious tournament like the WBC. This has been a dream of mine, and I’ll approach every game with the utmost respect for our national team jersey.”
He added, “While I’m disappointed to cut short my time at CAMP 2 with my teammates, I’ve gained valuable insight into our new pitchers’ repertoires and current form. My wrist is in good condition, and I’ve been preparing diligently for the season. Playing alongside such talented teammates, I’m committed to performing at my best and living up to the responsibility.”
Kim departed for Korea on the 10th (KST) with teammates Kim Joo-won and Kim Young-kyu to join the WBC national team.
[Sports Today, Lee Sang-pil sports@stoo.com ]
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