About to be posted for groups in Main League Baseball (MLB), South Korean nationwide staff infielder Music Sung-mun has been producing some buzz within the U.S. media.
Most just lately, The Athletic described the 29-year-old infielder for the Kiwoom Heroes as “a flexible defender who has enormously improved his plate manufacturing over the previous two seasons.”
After seven principally mediocre seasons within the Korea Baseball Group (KBO), Music certainly had his breakout marketing campaign in 2024, batting .340/.409/.518 with profession highs of 19 house runs, 104 RBIs and 21 steals. This yr, Music emerged from a gradual begin to put up a .315/.387/.530 line with 26 house runs, 90 RBIs and 25 steals. He established new profession highs with 103 runs and 37 doubles.
These two seasons alone have been sufficient to draw curiosity from MLB golf equipment, however Music mentioned Saturday he is not near the extent reached by his ex-Heroes teammates who’ve made their strategy to the majors — San Francisco Giants outfielder Lee Jung-hoo, Los Angeles Dodgers utility man Kim Hye-seong and free agent infielder Kim Ha-seong.
“I’m a bit previous, and this might be my first and final crack at MLB,” Music mentioned earlier than South Korea hosted the Czech Republic in an exhibition sport at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. “Kim Ha-seong, Lee Jung-hoo and Kim Hye-seong have been all high gamers within the KBO earlier than they moved over. I simply put up some first rate numbers the final couple of years.”
The Athletic famous Music, a major third baseman who can even play first base and second base, is “a stage under” Kim Ha-seong, an All-Star shortstop within the KBO who flashed 30-homer energy right here after which turned himself right into a Gold Glove-winning defender in MLB.
Music mentioned even that description flattered him.
“I believe they assume too extremely of me. I’m a number of ranges under Kim Ha-seong,” Music mentioned. “I can not say with any confidence that I’m the very best in anyone facet of the sport. However no less than I can deal with a number of infield positions, and that is my power.”
Music mentioned he needed to be taught to play completely different positions earlier in his profession “simply to get into video games.”
As for his offensive outburst over the previous two seasons, Music mentioned, “I used to be so unhealthy in my early years that these current seasons look good as compared.”
“I struggled early on this yr however was in a position to overcome that to place up sturdy numbers,” Music added. “I felt like I grew no less than somewhat.”
Music mentioned he was “a extremely fortunate man” to have performed with three future MLB gamers within the KBO.
“I realized a lot from them, and I have been in a position to lean on these classes to placed on good performances in entrance of MLB scouts,” Music added. “However I should preserve an goal view of myself. If I’ve a chance to play in MLB, then I’ll do my finest. If I find yourself staying put in Korea, I’ll play the very best I can for the Kiwoom Heroes.”
