[News Figures] Moon Dong-ju and Moon Hyun-bin 'Young Guns' Deliver... Hanwha's '5 Consecutive Wins in 1005 Days'

20-year-old Moon Dongju, First Korean Player to Throw 160.1 km/h Fastball
19-year-old Moon Hyunbin Shows Power with 3 Home Runs

Hanwha Eagles are on a 5-game winning streak. Hanwha's 5-game winning streak is the first in 1005 days since the game against KIA on September 20, 2020, and the game against Lotte Giants on the 25th. While all players stood out during the 5-game winning streak, attention is focused on young talents Moon Dong-joo and Moon Hyun-bin.

On the 27th, Hanwha won 4-1 against KT Wiz in the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League game held at Daejeon Hanwha Life Eagles Park. Felix Pe?a pitched brilliantly and led the team to victory. Kim In-hwan recorded 2 hits and 2 RBIs in 4 at-bats, including the go-ahead hit in the 5th inning.

Some believe that Hanwha's winning streak was already anticipated. Hanwha finished last place for three consecutive years from the 2020 season to the 2022 season. As a result, ahead of the 2023 season, they strengthened their roster by acquiring free agents Chae Eun-seong, Lee Tae-yang, and Oh Seon-jin.

On April 12, at Gwangju Kia Champions Field, during the 2023 KBO League game between the Hanwha Eagles and the KIA Tigers, Hanwha's Moon Dong-ju is pitching. In the bottom of the first inning with one out, Moon threw a fastball exceeding 160 km/h against KIA's Park Chan-ho, becoming the first Korean player to do so. [Image source=Yonhap News]

In addition, the performances of young players Moon Dong-joo and Moon Hyun-bin have been remarkable. Hanwha selected Moon Dong-joo as their first-round pick in the 2022 KBO League draft.

Moon Dong-joo is 20 years old this year and in his second year as a professional. His main weapon is a fastball coming from his 188cm height and 92kg build. During his senior year at Gwangju Jinhung High School, he played the role of ace at the 2021 U-23 Baseball World Cup as a high school student.

In 11 games on the high school stage in 2021, he recorded 1 win, 4 losses, and an ERA of 2.76. He consistently threw fastballs in the 150 km/h range, attracting significant attention. Then, on April 12 against KIA, he made headlines by throwing a 160.1 km/h fastball according to the Pitch Tracking System (PTS).

Hanwha's 4-game winning streak on the 24th, their first in 1003 days, was also powered by Moon Dong-joo's strong pitching. On that day, Moon pitched 8 innings with 2 hits allowed, 7 strikeouts, no walks, and no runs against NC Dinos at Changwon NC Park. Only one batter faced more than 5 pitches until the 4th inning. He continued to challenge the remaining 11 batters with quick pitches. His fastest fastball reached 158 km/h, and his slider was thrown up to 148 km/h. Ultimately, Hanwha defeated NC 7-1 and achieved their 4th consecutive win.

Hanwha Eagles Moon Hyun-bin Photo by Yonhap News

While Moon Dong-joo is on the mound, Moon Hyun-bin is at the plate. Moon Hyun-bin (19), selected by Hanwha as the 11th overall pick in the 2nd round of the 2023 rookie draft, is a former infielder from Bukil High School. As a left-handed batter, he possesses power to hit home runs and speed. He made the opening day roster and has been performing strongly in the first team so far.

Moon Hyun-bin hit his first professional home run against Lotte Giants on the 14th, and followed up with consecutive home runs in the games against Lotte on the 15th and Kiwoom Heroes on the 18th. His batting average is also rising steadily. It was 0.218 in April, then 0.263 in May, and 0.302 in June, showing consistent improvement.

Amid the 5-game winning streak, manager Choi Won-ho mentioned postseason qualification, known as "autumn baseball," to the fans. In an interview after the game against KT Wiz on the 27th, Manager Choi said, "If my teammates continue to show good play, I believe we can make it to autumn baseball by the end of the season. I always ask for lots of support at the ballpark."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.