Kim Ha-seong (28, San Diego) and Tommy Hyeon-su Edman (28, St. Louis), who are playing in the US Major League (MLB), will join the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) team ahead of schedule.
The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO)안전놀이터 announced on the 23rd, “Ha-sung Kim and Edmon will return to Korea on March 1 (Korean time).” Edmon arrives at Incheon International Airport around 6:00 a.m., followed by Kim Ha-seong around 5:00 p.m. The two players are digesting their respective team’s spring camp.
The national team, which is currently undergoing joint training in Tucson, Arizona, will return to Korea this morning. The national team will be able to complete the training held at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on March 2nd.
According to the original schedule, Kim Ha-seong would come to Korea first, and Edmund would join the national team in Japan, the venue for the first round of the WBC. However, it is known that the club accepted Edman’s request to join him early.
The fact that the two players who will form a keystone combination in the WBC can match hands and feet earlier than expected is a great boon to the national team. Head coach Lee Kang-cheol of the national team announced his intention to appoint Kim Ha-seong as shortstop and Edmund as second baseman.
After completing their first domestic training on the 2nd, the national team will play an evaluation match against SSG on the 3rd. However, Kim Ha-seong and Edman cannot participate in a practice match with SSG, which is a ‘self-practice match’ according to the rules of the MLB Players Union.
The national team, which is leaving for Japan on the 4th, will have a final check of their strength in the evaluation matches against Orix on the 6th and Hanshin on the 7th. The two matches are ‘official evaluation matches’ recognized by the WBC, and Kim Ha-seong and Edmon can participate.
The national team will move to Tokyo on the 8th and undergo adaptation training at the Tokyo Dome. Afterwards, on the 9th at 12:00, Australia and WBC Round 1 Group B will play the first match.