His right hamstring, which already caused one problem early in the 2023 season, caused another problem. It wasn't like that while running, he made a sharp turn. It was an unfortunate situation to hurt his hamstring during stretching. Yoon Do-hyun, who ambitiously came up to the first division on May 28, didn't last a day and moved back to the second division. He was about to start his boring rehabilitation again. The top prospect, who barely escaped from the word "injury" after his professional debut, thinks he was discouraged.
Yoon Do-hyun, who was spotlighted as a big infielder representing amateur players when he was playing at Mudung Middle School and Gwangju Jeil High School, joined the team splendidly after receiving the second round (15th overall) nomination by Kia in 2022. Expectations are high that he will lead the KIA infield along with his best friend Kim Do-young, who is the same age as him, who received the first round nomination. Since joining the team, however, he has suffered from frequent injuries and has not even had a chance to show his potential. Rather than playing in games and training normally, he spent longer at a rehabilitation center.
Yoon Do-hyun, who met at the Gwangju-Kia Champions Field, recalled that there was a difference in accepting injuries in 2022 and 2023. "I rather had a fracture in 2022 and I thought that I had made too much progress on my own in the process of building up after the injury. So I didn't have any difficulties. I wanted to show them next year," Yoon said. "However, my two hamstring injuries last year did not show any signs and I felt perfect. When I got hurt in March, I thought that the pain would disappear soon because I had a good feeling, but I prepared to return too soon and got seriously injured in May." It was a huge frustration.
Yoon said he had never been seriously injured until high school. He said, "I am not the type to get hurt." Since he spent two years practically due to his injury after joining the club, one need not tell him how frustrated he was. However, he could not afford to sit down. Baseball had to continue even if it was not 2023. Having felt much from the recurrence of his hamstring injury, Yoon set all the clocks to 2024, and calmly started rehabilitation.
Yoon Do-hyun said, "Even after my injury in May, I actually rehabilitated with the determination to return around July to August, but the pain didn't go away at all. If I got hurt, I need to rest well, but I think it was because I started exercising early because I wanted to do something quickly," and added, "After August, I focused on building my body again with the thought that the year is over." In the process, I think my body is now more advanced. The finishing camp also said in the training part, "It's better to take your time and fit in the spring camp," but now that I think about it, I think it's better not to go and make more body."
Anyway, he doesn't get sick anymore. Yoon has huge potential, with both Kia coach Kim Jong-kook and KIA hitting coach Lee Bum-ho giving thumbs up. The two leaders are confident that they are as talented as Kim when it comes to hitting. Yoon, who was once hugely frustrated and discouraged, is also in the process of filling up his confidence and self-esteem. Winter is also busy. He goes to Seoul on Saturday for training at a training center and a lesson center, and comes down on Tuesday to continue the training at Champions Field, his home ground, for the rest of the year. It is a full week of training. Still, he enjoys recovering his healthy body.
"I have established and understood stretching and mobility sports, and now I have no worries about hamstrings. Just because you are injured doesn't mean you should run with care. If you are injured, you should build a stronger body and run with all your might," Yoon said. "I will never play where I am concerned about injury." With that confidence and determination, he is determined to show many things not only in attack but also in defense at the spring camp.
"When I first joined the pro league, people around me said I was an aggressive player. But my strength is that I can watch any position in the infield. Basically, I am confident in throwing balls. If I adapt well to my steps and bounding when I go to camp, I think I will be able to show my strengths in defense," Yoon said confidently. "Now I am in my third year in my third year. You will not even think of me as a rookie anymore. I think I need to show a different side of myself than when I was a rookie, and I think I need to show a better side of myself." When asked if I am confident, Yoon nodded without any hesitation. With his enormous potential, clear sense of goal and confidence, Yoon is now getting ready to bring about a tectonic shift in the KIA infield.
BY: 스포츠토토