“I’m going to try harder this camp.”
SSG outfielder Choi Ji-hoon (26) has made up his mind ahead of this spring camp. He headed to Florida, USA, 3 years after his rookie year in 2020. It’s not just the training grounds that make this camp special. The first victory he tasted after his debut and the career high season brought excitement and pressure at the same time.
Choi Ji-hoon met with reporters before departing at Incheon International Airport on January 30 and said, “Since we start a new season with the title of a winning team, I think we will have to make this year’s camp a little more difficult to show baseball that matches that.” He said, “Personally, I had a career high season last year, so I want to surpass myself (in the 2023 season).”
The team that stayed in 9th place in 2020 and 6th place in 2021 won the combined championship last year. It was a valuable achievement achieved after two seasons of re-founding from SK in 2021 as SSG. Choi Ji-hoon, who has top-notch defensive skills in the league, also opened his eyes to batting last season. He appeared in all 144 regular season games, posting a batting average of 0.304 (173 hits in 569 at-bats), 10 home runs, 61 RBIs, 31 stolen bases, and an OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.789. His first 300 batting average and double-digit home runs since his pro debut.
Choi Ji-hoon, who contributed to the championship by playing an active part in the airlifting team, signed a contract with an annual salary of 300 million won this year. This is a 100% increase from the previous annual salary of 150 million won. This amount is based on expectations for the player who will be responsible for SSG’s present and future.스포츠토토
Initially, the possibility of Choi Ji-hoon joining the World Baseball Classic (WBC) team to be held in March was discussed. However, his name was not included in the final 30-man list of the WBC national team announced on January 4th. Although it’s unfortunate, I don’t have much regret. Choi Ji-hoon said, “If you continue to regret it, it will be my loss. Now, it is right to focus on the camp so that we can prepare well for the season,” he said. “Because we are still young, opportunities are always open. I was not too disappointed as I am at an age where I can promise the next one.”
If I left without hesitation during the first spring camp, now I feel relaxed and confident. As a result of steady weight training since December, my weight has increased by 6kg compared to the season. Choi Ji-hoon said, “I feel like I can build a good body at camp.”
I want to live up to the expectations of the team and myself in the new season. I didn’t set any grandiose goals. Choi Ji-hoon said, “I leave spring camp every year with the mindset of making a season that is a little better than last year.”