Dreaming spirit of 'Lotte-centered' 20-year-old
Lotte rookies this year are full of unique names. The first-rounder Jeon Mir, who enters the professional league in the Year of the Blue Dragon, is the most impressive. People with the same name with legends such as Lee Ho-joon, Kang Sung-woo and Ahn Woo-jin are also notable.
Lee Ho-joon, a 20-year-old graduate of Sangwon High School, was designated by Lotte in the third round. In high school, Lee had a batting average of .300 and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 0.891, drawing attention. He has a good pioneering ability that he has always played as a leadoff player. He is united with his fierce eyes, grit, and spirit.
More than anything else, his agile footwork and stable glove handling are well received. The conclusion was reached after two years of intensive observation by Lotte's scout team. Kim Min-ho, defensive coach, also said, "(Lee Ho-joon) is okay. It's a long way off, but I think I can raise him as a shortstop."
As a baseball player, he is used to teasing names from a young age. Despite his nervousness at the request for a sudden interview, Lee Ho-joon said, "I want to be a legendary player. It's an honor just to talk with you." However, unlike Lee Ho-joon, the current LG Quality Control (QC) coach who has 337 home runs in total, he is a table-setter type batter who focuses on accurate batting.
His heart is full of fiery sincerity toward baseball. He even gave a stern assessment of his high school days, saying that he had a high school senior's disease. He said that he always wanted to play well at bat. As a result, he felt sorry for his personal performance, and he failed to lead Sangwon High School to a higher rank in national competitions, according to his own analysis.
As he is from Daegu, Kim Sang-soo (KT) is his lifelong role model. He also gained valuable experience learning the basics of shortstop from Kim Sang-soo, who visited Sangwon High School during the winter training before becoming a high school senior. He always keeps in mind Kim's advice that "Always hold the ball on the left side of your body. That way, it will be easier to throw the ball to the first base."
He goes to different schools, but he is also close to Jeon Mir. "I want to learn about Mir's confidence," Lee Ho-joon said. "Muscles are hard to match. I went to weightlifting together when I was a senior in high school, and my natural instinct is ridiculous."
When asked about the most memorable moment since joining Lotte, a smile broke out at the mouth of "a hit against LG's Kang Hyo-jong in the education league."
"I'm not a home run hitter, but I do have a long shot. I'm not a bright runner, but I'm not just as slow. My goal is to join the first division within this year. I want to become a shortstop to lead Sajik's infield."