Hanwha starting pitcher Moon Dong-ju fights back
‘Fireballer’ Moon Dong-ju (20, Hanwha Eagles) was selected as the best rookie in the 2023 Korean Professional Baseball KBO League.
He is the ‘Rookie of the Year from Hanwha’ born 17 years after Ryu Hyun-jin (36) in 2006.
Moon Dong-ju received the regular season rookie of the year trophy at the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO Awards ceremony held at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 27th.His Rookie of the Year prize money is 3 million won.
Ten people selected by the Korea Baseball Writers’ Association were nominated for Rookie of the Year, and the reporters voted on them after the end of the regular season.
The ballot box that KBO kept in a sealed state was opened on the 27th.
Moon Dong-ju received the most votes.
Moon Dong-ju, who joined the team in 2022, pitched only 28⅔ innings in the first team last year, retaining his ‘Rookie of the Year’ candidate status.
The KBO League considers players who have been in the league for less than 5 years, have a cumulative record of 30 innings as a pitcher, and have not exceeded 60 at-bats as a batter to be selected as Rookie of the Year candidates.
Moon Dong-ju appeared in 23 games this year and pitched well with 8 wins, 8 losses, and an ERA of 3.72, and on April 12, he became the first Korean player in the KBO League to throw a ball at a speed of 160 km/h (160.1 km/h).
Yoon Young-cheol (19, KIA Tigers), who debuted in the KBO League this year, also pitched well with 8 wins, 7 losses, and an ERA of 4.04, but could not surpass Moon Dong-ju.
Moon Dong-ju was recorded as the fourth Rookie of the Year produced by Hanwha, following Lee Jeong-hoon in 1987, Kim Tae-gyun in 2001, and Ryu Hyun-jin in 2006, including during his time at Binggrae.
Moon Dong-ju, who came on stage, said, “The trophy is very heavy. I think I will have to bear this weight well. I became the first Hanwha player to receive the Rookie of the Year award in 17 years since senior Ryu Hyun-jin. I give the honor to the fans.” 슬롯사이트