Choi Won-tae, a '7 billion FA transfer student,' aims to train off-season U.S. → 150 innings, "I made my body hard, and I'm pitching to catch it this year."

Choi Won-tae, a '7 billion FA transfer student,' aims to train off-season U.S. → 150 innings, "I made my body hard, and I'm pitching to catch it this year."

Blog Article

Choi Won-tae (28), a transfer of the Samsung Lions in professional baseball, will head to Guam spring camp for the first time.메이저사이트

Choi departed Incheon International Airport on Tuesday for Guam where the 2025 season spring camp will be held. "I've been to Guam for a while, but this is my first time going to the spring camp," Choi said in his first spring camp after moving to Samsung. "I'll prepare hard and return to Guam because I heard baseball is a good place to play."

Choi Won-tae, who recorded 78 wins and 58 losses with a 4.36 ERA in 217 KBO league games (1134 ⅓ innings), started his professional career with Kiwoom and transferred to LG through a trade in 2023. Choi Won-tae, who experienced the Korean Series win at LG in 2023, recorded 9 wins and 7 losses with a 4.26 ERA in 24 games (126 ⅔ innings) last season and became an FA after the end of the season. Choi Won-tae, who was considered one of the biggest FA starters, wore his third uniform, signing a four-year contract with Samsung for a total of 7 billion won.

Choi Won-tae, who is preparing for the new season with a renewed mind for Samsung, said, "I am excited and relaxed. I have many players I know, so it's okay. I think the general manager welcomed me the most," smiling, "Everyone welcomed me very warmly. (Park) Byung-ho also called me and made me happy," adding that he is quickly adapting to the new team.
After training with Lee Seung-hyun, Lee Ho-sung, Hwang Dong-jae, and Lee Jae-hyun in the offseason, Choi said, "I just worked hard. I made a routine and was able to throw more balls than in the cold. I think I prepared well." Choi, who even met and took pictures with Major League ace Max Scherzer in the U.S., said, "He exercised really hard. I couldn't talk to him while working out, and just took pictures together afterwards."

Since recruiting Choi Won-tae, Samsung's general manager Lee Jong-yeol has praised his commitment. As Samsung Lions Park in Daegu is now the home ground for its batter-friendly stadium after using Jamsil Stadium in Seoul, a pitcher-friendly stadium, as its home ground, it will become more important to induce grounders through commitment.

"To throw a pitch, it's important to play low ball control. I think I should focus on that point," Choi Won-tae said, "I have a worse ERA at Jamsil Stadium. The Gocheok Dome will be better. I think the mound is more important than the size of the stadium. I have my own feeling depending on the mound." "I don't think Rafak's performance was good either," he said with a smile.

Choi Won-tae, who has set a goal of 150 innings this year, said, "First of all, you have to throw fewer innings to get more pitches. That's why I try to throw more pitches as if I'm catching more pitches. As I kept trying to strike out and pitch perfectly, I got more walks. This year, I'm going to try again with the idea of catching the ball. If I throw 150 innings, I'm going to go out almost full time, so I want to keep doing it."