"I never regret giving up going to the U.S." The secret of Lotte's Na Seung-yeop, who is on a roll
"I never regret giving up going to the U.S." The secret of Lotte's Na Seung-yeop, who is on a roll
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Lotte Giants' center hitter Na Seung-yeop said he does not regret his decision to choose Lotte instead of going to the U.S. five years ago.안전놀이터
Na Seung-yeop, who announced his entry into the U.S. professional baseball ahead of the 2021 professional baseball rookie draft in 2020, gave up his dream of going to the U.S. and joined Lotte after Lotte named him 11th overall in the second round.
The only choice left in Korea was a hit. After finishing his military service at Sangmu in the 2024 season, Na played in 121 games with a batting average of 0.312 with seven home runs and 66 RBIs, and became a key hitter of Lotte.
He is expected to continue his performance in the 2025 season. In the opening game of an exhibition game against the KIA Tigers at Sajik Stadium in Busan on Sunday, Na started as the fifth batter and first baseman, and hit a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning when his team was trailing 1-3. He had one hit, one homer and one RBI from three times at bat on the day, and Lotte came from behind to win 4-3.
After the game, Na Seung-yeop said, "I focused on training to increase the body's rotational power during the off-season," adding, "I used my hands a lot when I hit before, but the changed swing form greatly helps me improve my slugging power."
He also said, "It is encouraging to record a home run in the first exhibition game with a changed swing," adding, "Lowering the outfield fence at Sajik Stadium also has a positive effect on using more aggressive swings." Lotte restored the fence at Sajik Stadium, which was raised from 4.8m to 6m before the 2022 season, to its original height in December.
Following Kim Tae-hyung's aggressive batting order, Na Seung-yeop said, "I will swing more actively this year," and expressed his ambition, "I want to perform better than last season."
"I've never regretted it," he said of Lotte's decision to give up its entry into the U.S. five years ago. "If I had been to the U.S., I might have been pushed back by the competition in my team or faced military service problems," he said. "I could change my decision because Lotte chose me, and I will grow more here."
His dream of playing in the U.S. has not completely disappeared. He will have the opportunity to play in the Major League Baseball (MLB) through the 2026 World Baseball Classic. "Playing in an MLB stadium is every player's dream," Na said. "I want to perform better this season. I will do my best without being daunted."