“I often think that those who once said, ‘Two dozen are not easy,’ should in turn accept and support me.”
This is no easy task. A lot has been said about switch hitters, too. But in the end, the results proved it. This is the story of NC Dinos.
In the first round of the second round of 2021, all No. 6 players were called by NC. Kim Joo-won is the current and future right-throwing two-hit shortstop resource of the Dinosaurs. In a total of 570 games, he recorded a batting average of 0.254 (1,766 effective at-bats, 448 hits), 49 home runs, 231 RBIs, and 91 stolen bases with an OPS (out base rate + slugging rate) of 0.747.
This year in particular has been very good. With the full support of NC team head coach Lee Ho-jun, he played in 144 games and recorded a batting average of 0.289 (539 effective at-bats, 156 hits), 15 home runs, 65 RBIs, and 44 stolen bases, with an OPS of 0.830. The NC team led by Kim Joo-won miraculously reached the top five.
As a result, Kim Joo-won wore the Golden Glove in the shortstop department at the 2025 KBO Golden Glove Awards Ceremony held at the World Crystal Ballroom of Lotte Hotel Jamsil, Seoul on the 9th. This is the first time Kim Joo-won has won the Golden Glove Award.
Kim Joo-won, who met after the award ceremony, said: “(The acceptance speech) I thought about it for a while and went up, but when I actually went up, I found that it was completely white. It seems that I didn’t do it well. If I can win the award next year, it will be better than today. I can’t remember (my grandfather’s story), so I can’t tell it.”
Kim Joo-won’s grandfather passed away at the time of the 2025 NAVER K-BASEBALL SERIES (K-baseball series) when Kim Joo-won was called up by the Korean national baseball team. Despite the great sadness, Kim Joo-won worked hard to concentrate on the game. In the second game against Japan, he hit a game-tying solo home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, and then shed tears.
Kim Joo-won said: “I would be very happy if I saw it (getting the Golden Glove) with my own eyes, but I think everyone saw it from the sky. This is the first time I answered the phone, and I think it was my grandpa who helped me.”
He continued: “Before entering this year’s season, everyone may not have regarded me as a candidate for the Golden Glove Award, but I am very gratified to be shortlisted and win the award. This is the most impressive and happiest season.”
Through this award, Kim Joo-won became the first golden glove for switching heaters in history. During this period, despite the difficulties, we never gave up and finally gained valuable results.
He said: “There have been a lot of things said about switch hitters since I debuted as a rookie, but I have overcome them. As I continue to grow in the process of self-improvement, it seems more meaningful to win the Gold Glove Award.”
He also said: “The goal (in the future) is to continue to participate in the award ceremony every year. I want to be a player who continues to win awards.”
Kim Joo-won will also play an important role in the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) to be held in March next year. He is also on the list for the first WBC training camp to be held in Saipan next month.
Kim Joo-won said: “He entered the first-round list first. Of course he has the desire to stay until the end. He has played a lot this year, so he will prepare well for the offseason.”
[蚕室(首尔)=MK体育记者 李汉柱]
