▲ kt wiz's Ahn Hyun-min, who returned ahead of the game against the Doosan Bears at Jamsil on June 16
Ahn Hyun-min (22), who is growing into a representative hitter of the KBO League beyond just KT, has returned after shaking off his injury.
Ahn returned to the first-team roster today (June 16) ahead of the game against the Doosan Bears at Seoul's Jamsil Baseball Stadium.
KT will start him as the number three hitter and right fielder.
KT manager Lee Kang-chul stated, "Since he has just returned, we still need to manage him. I plan to substitute him out for a defensive replacement after the middle of the game."
When he was playing healthy early in the season, Ahn was nothing short of the league's best hitter.
In 14 games, he battered opposing pitchers with a .365 batting average (19 hits in 52 at-bats), three home runs, 11 RBIs, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 1.161.
However, he was sidelined due to a hamstring injury. Although he was initially expected to return in four weeks, it took two months for him to make his comeback.
His appearance in today's game comes 62 days after his last game before the injury, which was against the NC Dinos on April 15.
When asked about his feelings on returning, Ahn shared his excitement, saying, "I think I'll be very nervous once I actually step onto the field. The environment is different from the minor league, and it feels like a new season's training camp starting right after one season has ended. It feels like I'm starting my third season all by myself."
Ahn, appearing in public after a long absence, looked noticeably leaner.
In addition to changing his hairstyle, he had lost about 4 to 5 kg.
This is the result of his efforts to prevent future injuries.
He explained, "After getting injured, I received advice that losing weight was necessary to lower the chance of recurrence. Since I wanted to become a faster and more powerful player, I took the injury as an opportunity to fast-track the physical conditioning that I would normally do during the off-season."
During his rehabilitation, Ahn showed immense self-discipline by completely changing his diet and cutting out instant food, high-fructose corn syrup, and caffeine entirely.
He did not even touch hamburgers, his favorite food, and filled his diet mainly with fish and duck, which are good for reducing inflammation.
He also stayed away from caffeinated drinks, which deplete hydration.
"Eating while managing my diet was more fun than I expected, and it suited my body well," he said with a smile.
He also expressed honest regret and self-reflection regarding his delayed return.
Ahn maturely replied, "The injury was more severe and the recovery was slower than I had planned. Several negative factors overlapped, delaying the schedule. Since I hadn't been seriously injured before, I had been neglectful of my body management. However, this period of absence allowed me to clearly identify and correct the flaws in my routine."
Advice and encouragement from his colleagues were also a great source of strength.
In particular, advice from Kim Do-young (KIA Tigers), who struggled with a thigh injury last season, served as a strong pillar of support during his rehabilitation.
Ahn said, "I was really grateful and felt a bit sorry because Do-young shared his own experiences, which he probably didn't want to bring up, to teach me how to recover. Thanks to him, I was able to complete my rehabilitation and return."
Looking forward to reuniting with Kim Do-young when KT faces KIA in Suwon this weekend, Ahn said, "When we actually meet, I think I'll feel a sense of relief, thinking, 'I'm glad I made it back to see Do-young like this.'"
Lastly, Ahn showed his playful side by expressing his gratitude to the club for their full support and even suggesting a headline for the interview.
"Thanks to the immense care provided by the club and the training staff over the past two months, I was able to complete my rehabilitation in the best possible way. I received so much help, and I really want to express my gratitude to the club. If the article is published today, please make sure the headline is 'The Club's Full Support.'"
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.