Yang Seok-hwan (33), who started an era of success by trading from the LG Twins to the rival Doosan Bears, was selected as the captain to lead the Doosan team in the 2024 season.
The Doosan team met with reporters at the Doosan Bears founding ceremony held at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on the 15th and announced, “Yang Seok-hwan has been decided as the captain for the 2024 season.”
Yang Seok-hwan, who was called the biggest player in this free agent market, signed a 4+2 year free agent contract with his original team Doosan for up to 7.8 billion won on November 30 last year. The total amount of the first four-year contract is up to KRW 6.5 billion (down payment KRW 2 billion, total annual salary KRW 3.9 billion, incentive KRW 600 million), and a two-year mutual contract worth KRW 1.3 billion is activated by agreement between the club and player after the end of the 4-year contract. It was a satisfactory contract with options included.
Immediately after signing the contract, Yang Seok-hwan received a congratulatory message on the phone with Doosan coach Lee Seung-yeop and was offered the captaincy for the 2024 season. Yang Seok-hwan has been evaluated as the next captain to succeed Heo Gyeong-min, demonstrating leadership on the ground and in the dugout for three years after his trade transfer in 2021.
Yang Seok-hwan said at the time, “I also thought that I would make a claim at least once during the contract period, even if it wasn’t next year.” He added, “The director also mentioned the claim in a phone call, and I gave a positive answer. Of course, it’s not official yet. He showed a cautious attitude, saying, “I think I need to look at the situation a little more.”
His predecessor also supported new captain Yang Seok-hwan. Heo Gyeong-min said at an awards ceremony last year, “I think Yang Seok-hwan can do well. Of course, it may not be easy to take on the role of captain in the first year of the contract, but I think he can do well because he is Yang Seok-hwan.” 지울프-토토
Seok-Hwan Yang was a promising right-handed hitter who graduated from Shinil High School and Dongguk University and was selected 28th in the 2nd and 3rd rounds by LG in the 2014 rookie draft. Following his first double-digit home run (14) in 2017, the fourth year of his joining, he showed his potential with 22 home runs in 2018, and immediately resolved his military service obligation by enlisting in Sangmu.
Unfortunately, military service became the first turning point in Yang Seok-hwan’s baseball career. After losing his place after being discharged in August 2020, his first-team performance was limited to a batting average of .244, 6, and 3 home runs in 40 games. To make matters worse, he ended the season on a bitter note by remaining on the bench even though he was included in the semi-playoff entry.
The second turning point came to Yang Seok-hwan. In March 2021, the team was moved from LG to rival Doosan through a 2-for-2 trade, which became a godsend that supported a successful free agent contract.
Seok-Hwan Yang took over as the Bears’ number 5 first baseman and earned the title of ‘Trade Lucky’ from his first season. In 133 games in the 2021 season, he hit a batting average of .273, 28 home runs, and 96 RBIs, erasing the team’s first baseman concerns and contributing to the KBO League’s first 7 consecutive years of advancement to the Korean Series.
Unlike the first year, 2022 was a series of disappointments. A chronic internal oblique muscle injury recurred from the beginning of the season, and even after returning in May, he suffered from aftereffects and ended the season with poor performance, with a batting average of .204 4.0, 20 home runs, and 51 RBIs in 107 games.
Yang Seok-hwan served as Doosan’s home run hitter with the appointment of manager Lee Seung-yeop in 2023. In 140 games, he showed off his destructive power with a batting average of .208, 21 home runs, 89 RBI, and a slugging percentage of .454, ranking 5th in the home run category.
Yang Seok-hwan is a high-level right-handed slugger who has hit 20 home runs (28-20-21) for three consecutive years. He received a lot of attention from Doosan and other clubs in the Stove League, but ended up staying in his original team and being appointed captain. .
At the founding ceremony, Seok-Hwan Yang said, “For a team to have good performance, individual performance must be supported. I hope that you will prepare well for the upcoming camp and season with the responsibility that individual performance becomes the team’s performance. Happy New Year to all the Doosan family here. “I hope Doosan will be the winner in 2024,” he said, strengthening his resolve as captain.