Hyo Jun Park (27, Oakland Athletics), currently playing in Major League Baseball (MLB) exhibition games as a minor league invitee, has raised his batting average to .500. There is speculation that he will definitely make it to the big leagues.
On the 24th, Hyo Jun Park played as the ninth batter and left fielder against the LA Angels at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Arizona, recording 2 hits in 2 at-bats.
Hyo Jun Park, who recorded his seventh multi-hit game in the exhibition match, raised his batting average to .500. This batting average wasn’t just achieved with a few bat swings. He successfully hit 21 out of 42 at-bats.
He leads the Major League exhibition games in batting average. Hyo Jun Park has hit the most among the batters from all 30 teams in the exhibition games this season.
The official Major League website highlighted Hyo Jun Park as the star of the show. It looks like he could even make the opening-day roster, something that seemed impossible.
Oakland manager Mark Kotsay announced on MLB.com that Miguel Andujar had been placed on the injured list and emphasized the necessity of a replacement player. He added, “Hyo Jun Park made a good impression in the limited time he spent in the Major League spring camp,” hinting at the possibility of him being included in the opening-day roster.
Hyo Jun Park expressed his desire to help the team win in the big leagues, stating that he had undergone intense training. When asked if he thought he would be included in the big league entry, he said, “I’ve wanted to play in Oakland for several years,” and added, “I think I showed the results of the best off-season I’ve had since my debut in the exhibition games. I’m physically and mentally ready.”
He expressed that watching the recent Seoul Series between the LA Dodgers and San Diego Padres at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul fueled his desire to join the Major League even more. Reflecting on the experience, he remarked, “I never imagined Major League games being hosted in Kore, but the Seoul Series was truly amazing. I aspire to participate in a game held in Korea someday.”
In 21 exhibition games, Hyo Jun Park has only struck out once and has not walked. His extreme aggressiveness shows just how desperate he is to make the entry.
Things are going well. Coincidentally, Miguel Andujar, who recorded the most home runs within the team in the exhibition games, will be out for at least 4 weeks due to a knee injury. If Hyo Jun Park joins the opening day roster and performs well, moving his activity stage to the Major Leagues is not a dream.
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