Wearing a Hanwha uniform as the 11th player in the second round of the 2023 Rookie Draft, Moon played 137 games in the 2023 season, his first year since debut, posting 114 hits, five homers, 49 RBIs, 47 runs and a batting average of 0.266. Moon's 114 hits were the seventh in the KBO history and the first in the Hanwha team to post 100 hits in his debut season as a high school graduate. He was given a chance to combine his work as an outfielder, and Moon did not miss the opportunity that he had come to him. Moon was selected as a preliminary entry for the 2023 Asian Professional Baseball Championship (APBC) national team. He also officially wore the national flag and gained another experience as an international player.
With the addition of Ahn Chi-hong, the Hanwha Eagles' competition for second base is expected to intensify. Choi Won-ho plans to train Moon at second base and left field. Moon, who will accept the new mission, is building his body at his alma mater, Cheonan Bukil High School this winter. As Bukil High School has left for off-season training, he is exercising in Seoul with Choi Jun-ho, a first-rounder of the Doosan Bears who is in Bukil High School. “I wanted to drink water in Seoul,” Moon said with a smile, and soon answered questions seriously about his plans for 2023 and 2024. The following is a Q&A session with Moon.
Looking back on 2023, the debut season.
▲ I had a lot of good experiences for this year. I think I will be able to manage my physical strength and pace more easily while running full-time. From the closing camp to the rookie camp and spring camp, I think I always did 100%. There were ups and downs in the summer. In that sense, I think this year will be easy.
– Did you find a solution.
▲ There is no such thing as ‘this will help you manage your physical strength' yet. Rest is important. I think it will definitely change depending on how you rest. Last year was my first year and I was very nervous, so I tried to do it next time after I relaxed. Wouldn't it be okay if I get less nervous now.
– Did you achieve all your goals.
My goal was to stay in the ▲ 1st division. I think it was another reward because I achieved the record and even the fact that I played for the national team. I think I have achieved enough.
– What's your new goal.
▲I want to play more games than 137 games. That way, the record will likely follow.
-To the second base or outfield, the competition for position is likely to get fiercer.
▲I think it's better. I have a goal, and when I achieve it, I can become stronger. If I overcome it well, it will be a year where I can see how competitive I am. I also have confidence. I have more confidence than worry.
– He also attended a rookie orientation as a “successful senior.”
▲ (Moon) Dong-ju is here, and there are other good players, but I was puzzled. When I was a rookie, what Park Yong-taek and President Heo Gu-yeon said at the orientation was really touching, and it was very helpful. I thought you would have the same mindset as me, so I wanted to tell you exactly what I felt.
Q: What was the most memorable game for Jung Woo-ram? If you had to focus on yourself and pick another memorable scene.
▲When I had a hit at the match against Japan and Korea at APBC. It was the final match, and I was very excited to perform at the Tokyo Dome. It felt different because so many fans came to see us. An international competition and a regular season seem to be different.
– It's like getting vaccinated against left field at the time.
▲I think it will help me a lot. Left fielder was a position that I had never played before in baseball. I think I will be more comfortable in terms of confidence and mind, rather than trying to become more skillful. Even though APBC was a short-term game, coach Ryu Joong-il trusted me and let me go. That gave me a lot of confidence, thinking, “I can do it.”
– Playing coach Jung Woo-ram even picked Moon Hyun-bin as a player to captain in the future.
▲ It's a long story, but I'm grateful that you thought so. When you were playing in 1,000 games, I remember playing in those games, and that motivated me. I also thought that I wanted to play a cool career by running for such a long time.
Q: How did you end up as a captain in North Japan High School or the youth team? Q: What do you think is the reason you are considered a captain.
▲If someone asked me to raise my hand to claim, I tried to raise my hand, but the directors told me to do it both times. I think that's what they thought because I was trying hard not to lose in a competitive manner.
– We had one season, and now, unlike last year, we have to prepare for the new season ourselves. What kind of mindset are you preparing for.
▲First of all, I focused on what I couldn't do this season. I played a lot of games this season, but my body wasn't always 100%. I felt a little stiff or a little lack of flexibility. I think I could have performed better if it didn't hurt a little, but there were times when my muscles came up. First of all, I think it's most important not to have an injury, so I did flexibility exercise and Pilates. Also, I'm paying a lot of attention to weights to make strong hits.
