After being nominated as a pro in 2014, Jo Yi-hyeon (28, KT), who had many twists and turns such as name change, release, and injury, is showing signs of a successful release player in KT Wiz.
It was the Changwon NC game on the 13th that Cho Ei-hyeon clearly imprinted his name on KT fans. At that time, he scrambled as the opener of the bullpen day and led the team’s 3rd consecutive victory by throwing 4 hits, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts and 1 run in 4⅓ innings. It was a start in 543 days after the resignation Lotte game on October 17, 2021, when it was SSG days, and even the opponent’s starter was Eric Peddy, the best foreign pitcher in the league, but he showed off the aesthetics of slowness and became a hero of the turbulent world. KT coach Lee Kang-cheol also said, “I didn’t know how to throw so well.”
Jo Yi-hyeon, whom I recently met in Suwon, said, 메이저놀이터“The coach ordered a fast and aggressive match, so I paid attention to that part.” “The team was on a losing streak, but there was no pressure. He wanted to throw as cleanly as possible and hand it over to the next pitcher. He also tried to pitch harder than usual because it was his first start in a long time. Of course, I came down with a runner, but it was a better game than I thought. Son Dong-hyun blocked it well,” he said, looking back at the game on the 13th.
Cho Yi-hyeon passed the mound to Son Dong-hyeon with one out and first base in the bottom of the 5th inning with a 3-1 lead at the time. 68 pitches. If you catch two more outcounts, you can aim for a victory in two years after 2021. However, he said, “It was not something I could do with my greed. And winning the team was more important. He thought it was right for the next pitcher to come out and block it.”
Cho Yi-hyeon was originally a promising hitter who received the Lee Young-min batting award during his Jeju high school days. Afterwards, he was selected in the 2014 Hanwha 2nd 5th round 47th ranking and turned to a pitcher, but did not see the light. In his first two seasons, 7 games in the 1st team were all, and in December 2015, he had to move to the team as a compensation player for Jeong Woo-ram, who signed a free agent contract with Hanwha. Afterwards, he showed potential in the Futures League toward the position of managing director, but after being discharged from the military, he suffered a sluggish performance and an elbow injury, and was announced as a waiver. The name change (Cho Young-woo → Cho Yi-hyeon) also had a great effect.
KT was the club that reached out a helping hand to Jo Yi-hyeon, who was on the verge of a career break. After his release, Joy Hyun, who was conducting personal training at the lesson center run by his former colleague Jeong Young-il, headed to Iksan in November last year to take a test with coach Lee Kang-cheol. result passed. Diligently digesting the US spring camp, he showed off his presence by boarding the opening entry and sortie for two consecutive matches at Suwon LG on the 1st and 2nd, and became a hero in the chaotic world after a 10-day break.
Jo Yi-hyeon said, “Compared to last year, it’s perfect. He suffered an injury last year and his second team performance was not good. He lived with no will to go with the flow. I spent every day thinking, ‘How am I going to spend my day again?’ The coach, Kim Tae-han, coach Je Chun-mo, and the head of the operation team gave me an opportunity. I want to get better in the future,” he expressed the joy of extending his active duty.
Cho Yi-hyeon made a mark on coach Lee Kang-chul in the game on the 13th. The command tower is planning to utilize Joy Hyun in various ways such as long relief, substitute selection, and Pil Seung-jo in the future. Cho Yi-hyun said, “My goal is to continue playing baseball in the first team without getting sick. There are many pitchers who are rehabilitated, such as Joo-kwon and Kim Min-soo, so when they return, they may go to the 2nd team, but I will do my best in any position. I want to finish the season healthy and not so sick,” he revealed his new goal.