Transferred to Kiwoom in May trade… NC gives up 2 rookie draft picks
On the day of the rookie draft, he left a comment like a ‘nominee’… “It reminds me of when I enlisted”
“Thank you for picking me.”
These are not the thoughts of a rookie who has just been drafted by a team. These are the true feelings of NC Dinos infielder Kim Hwi-jip (22), who is in his fourth year as a professional.
After the 2025 KBO Rookie Draft ended on the 11th, Kim Hui-jip posted a ‘cute’ message on his Instagram.
The message that begins with “Thank you for choosing me” continues with the pledge, “I will work hard and do well with the mindset of a rookie in 2025. I am grateful to the fans who always send me lots of support, and I will become a player worthy of their support.”
There is a reason why he, who stands out as a key player for the team, posted this on draft day.
NC traded Kim Hwi-jip from Kiwoom Heroes in May, passing up the 2025 rookie draft picks in the first and third rounds. The trade involving two rookie picks was the first in the KBO League. NC made a bold investment in Kim Hwi-jip.
Four months later, after the draft ended, NC Dinos general manager Lim Seon-nam summarized the rookie draft results through the team and said, “This draft strategy was carried out with the thought that we had selected Kim Hwi-jip in the first round.”
Here, Kim Hui-jip wrote a witty piece as if he had been ‘nominated in the first round.’
Kim Hui-jib, who we met ahead of the KT Wiz match held at Suwon KT Wiz Park on the 12th, said, “I thought I should have a rookie’s mindset when I came to NC, and since the draft was held and I saw the manager’s words in an article, I wrote the article with the thought that ‘he is the nominee’,” and smiled shyly.
“As I was writing, I remembered when I first joined Kiwoom, and it felt new,” he added.
The response to his writing was enthusiastic. His colleagues also commented. “There were many reactions from Kiwoom seniors. Some said, ‘Didn’t you receive the signing bonus from Kiwoom?’ and others said, ‘Congratulations on your nomination.’” Kim Hui-jib laughed and said, “There were also seniors who said, ‘Okay, keep your original intentions in mind.’ It was fun.”
He, who was drafted by Kiwoom in the 2nd round, 9th overall pick in the 2021 KBO Rookie Draft, has never expressed his feelings about the draft. “I was watching (the event held remotely) at school due to COVID-19. The internet connection was down, so I didn’t see the moment I was drafted, but my friends told me, ‘That’s it. ’” he said with a laugh.
Kim Hwi-jip, who was noticed as a promising prospect in Kiwoom, has grown wings with his fresh start in NC this season. He is currently showing his best performance since his debut, recording a batting average of 0.264, 16 home runs, 69 RBIs, and 73 RBIs in 127 games this year. Just looking at his performance in NC, he has a batting average of 0.286, 11 home runs, 44 RBIs, and 49 runs in 76 games.
Although he established himself as a key infielder guarding the center lineup, it is true that he felt a lot of pressure because he thought he had to take on the role of two rookie draft picks.
Kim Hui-jip said, “I had a great sense of responsibility to do well. There is also a part where I have to be constantly alert,” and added, “I don’t know who will be drafted as a rookie, and it is a huge variable. I will try to be more responsible because I paid that price.”
Then, he thought of the rookies selected in this draft and said, “I have to take good care of them.” This is also something I was able to reaffirm because I wrote the article with the mindset of a rookie.
“I want to help the rookies adjust well,” he said. “I hope they can enjoy themselves and feel good about the next chapter. I thought I would be able to play baseball without stress if I was drafted as a pro, but that wasn’t the case. I hope they enjoy themselves and adjust well,” he said, giving advice worthy of someone with experience.
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2024-09-14 00:30:21