Kiwoom Heroes’ high school rookie pitcher Kim Dong-kyu (20) will make his KBO League starting debut against his hometown team, the LG Twins.안전놀이터
Head coach Hong Won-ki met with the media ahead of the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League away game against the LG Twins at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on Wednesday and announced Kim Dong-kyu as the starting pitcher for the 13th game.
Kim Dong-gyu, who was selected by LG with the 17th pick in the second round of the 2023 KBO Draft, left LG for Kiwoom via trade on 29 July. In exchange for key pitcher Choi Won-tae, Kiwoom received Kim Dong-gyu, outfielder Lee Ju-hyung, and a first-round pick in the 2024 rookie draft.
While Lee Ju-hyung and Choi Won-tae have already reported for duty, Kim Dong-gyu has been gaining professional experience in the second team.
Kim will now make his first first-team start since joining the team, coincidentally starting against LG. Kim’s only first-team appearance came on 10 June, when he pitched ⅓ of an inning against the Hanwha Eagles. This will be his first time both starting and pitching against his home team.
Ace Ahn Woo-jin was originally scheduled to start the game on the 13th. However, when Ahn had to skip one start due to a medical condition, a “backup starter” was needed, and Kim Dong-gyu was selected.
“A very tall pitcher (Kim is 195cm tall) will start tomorrow,” Hong laughed, “but I don’t want to put any pressure on him. We want to judge his potential as a starting pitcher, his performance and his delivery.”
The fact that the first game of a transfer is against a hometown team can put a lot of pressure on a rookie pitcher. LG, in particular, has a strong batting line-up with the highest team batting average (0.281).
“It can be a bit brutal,” Hong said, “but if you can shake off that fear and gain confidence, you can gain a lot of energy. I hope that tomorrow’s game will be the foundation for Kim Dong-gyu’s growth.”