KIA Tigers infielder Kim Do-young (21) has joined the preliminary roster of the Korean national team (Team Korea) to face off against MLB teams. Having proved his competitiveness in the KBO League, he is looking forward to facing off against the big leaguers.

Kim Do-young was listed on Team Korea's 35-member preliminary list for the "MLB World Tour Seoul Series Special Game" on the 2nd.

This year's roster consists of young players who have grown a lot by participating in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games and the 2023 Asian Professional Baseball Championship (APBC). Kim Do-young gained experience in international competitions by wearing the national team flag for the first time at APBC.

If Kim Do-young is selected as a finalist, he will have a chance to compete with big league pitchers. Team Korea will face off against the San Diego Padres, the team of Kim Ha-sung and Ko Woo-seok, on the 17th of next month, and Japanese Major Leaguer Shohei Ohtani on the 18th. It will face off against the Los Angeles Dodgers, where Yoshinobu Yamamoto belongs.

Kim did not hide his expectations for playing in special games. In a recent interview with reporters, he said, "I'm preparing for the season because the regular season is the most important. I don't want to overdo it, but I want to participate when I have a chance after my physical condition is ready. I've imagined it. It will be a positive factor for me."

To prepare for the upcoming regular season, it is imperative to improve his physical condition and sense of play in the field. Currently, Kim is engaged in various training sessions with sweat and tears in his eyes. "I train in the spring camp to show better performance than last year and to work hard. I want to learn more than two to three things at this camp," Kim said. "It is also important to develop physical strength and make up for lack of defense."

Last year, Kim showed rapid growth with a batting average of 0.303, seven homers, 47 RBIs and 25 stolen bases (OPS) of 0.824, but only played in 84 games due to toe and finger injuries. In 2022, his debut year, he couldn't play for a month due to palm injury.

Kim Do-young, who suffered a great ordeal every year, said, "There was an injury, but last year I thought, 'Now I'm a professional player and it's worth trying.' There was definitely a harvest," adding, "I try not to play dangerous games this year. I will do my best to show my 100% skills without getting injured."  토토사이트

This season, Kim is trying to catch two birds with one stone: winning the team title and hitting .300 for the first time in full time. "This year's team needs to do well. We finished sixth last year, but I didn't think we were in the right position. What the team and players want is to win. I will aim for the championship and move forward," Kim said. "My personal goal is to play full time. I want to fill up the regular at-bats and hit .300."