In the first game of the three-game series against the NC Dinos held at KIA Champions Field on July 23, Kim Do-young recorded a hit for the cycle.
This is the 31st record and the second-youngest ever, attracting considerable attention. The youngest ever cyclist to win a heat is Shin Jong-gil, who is now retired and is 20 years, 9 months, and 21 days old.
Kim Do-young’s bat was on fire from his first at-bat. He produced a deep hit to shortstop that almost resulted in a fielder’s choice, but it was ruled a single, marking a smooth start.
In his second at-bat, he completed a double with a deep hit that hit the deep right-center field wall. However, SBS Sports commentator Lee Soon-chul expressed regret that he failed to reach third base despite a defensive fumble by the right fielder.
As if he’d heard this, in his third at-bat, he ran full speed ahead on a left-center hit, turning it into a triple. It was a harder hit to turn into a triple than his second at-bat, but Kim Do-young, the “second Lee Jong-beom,” kept going.
The last home run was even more dramatic.
As if conscious of the scary rookie’s cycling hit, NC’s battery was completely out of the way.
However, NC’s Bae Jae-hwan’s pitch was directed to the middle, and the scary rookie Kim Do-young did not miss the ball and completed the 31st cycle hit with a lightning-like 2-run home run.
Furthermore, this cycle hit was not a typical cycle hit, but rather a natural cycle hit, achieved in just four at-bats, with the sequence being “single-double-triple-home run.” This record marks the second such achievement, following Lotte’s Kim Eung-guk.
With this game, Kim Do-young is challenging many records, including raising his batting average to third place.
First, he is the scoring champion, and he is currently in first place with an overwhelming 97 points, so it seems that his title defense in the scoring category is in jeopardy.
Second, he’s the home run king. He’s currently in second place in home runs, three behind NC’s Davidson, but with his pace picking up, there’s no telling when he could turn the tables.
Third is the hitting king. He currently ranks second in hits, two behind Lotte’s Reyes. While he’s played one more game, there’s no telling how high he could rise if he picks up the pace.
In addition to this, he is ranked in the top tier in all batting indicators, including 6th in stolen bases and 9th in RBIs.
Saber Matrix, when you look at the detailed indicators, is even more powerful.
Currently, he is overwhelmingly ranked first in WAR, and he is also ranked first in WRC+ and OPS, making him the strongest candidate for MVP.
All baseball fans are paying close attention to how 20-year-old Kim Do-young will finish the season.
