Daedeok University, the first university baseball 안전놀이터 team in Daejeon, which had an inauguration ceremony on the 1st and started its full-fledged activities, has a 24-year-old freshman. Outfielder Kim Gyu-seong (24), who graduated from Gongju High School in 2018, is the main character. After graduating from high school, he experienced the Japanese independent league for two years, and after serving in the military, he continued his baseball challenge as a founding member of Daeduk University.
Kim Gyu-seong said, “I wanted to seize the opportunity to play baseball. It is home to Daejeon, and the Daedeok University baseball team was founded. He decided to enroll because there was a part about his studies, and the conditions were good. My friends in the same age are in the 18th class, but they are in the 23rd class, so it’s a bit embarrassing,” he laughed. Outfielder Kim Gyu-min from Daegu High School is his younger brother who is 5 years older than him, and is the motive for entering the school.
Left-handed outfielder Kim Kyu-seong, who boasts a solid physique of 181cm and 90kg, did not receive a professional nomination after graduating from high school. Then he went to Japan the following year. In February 2018, he participated in the Japan Shikoku Island League Plus independent baseball team tryout held at Gocheok Dome in Seoul and caught the attention of Japanese leaders. . While playing baseball and learning Japanese, he had experiences and life studies that money could not buy.
“I wanted to play baseball in a new environment. Apparently, Japan is a bit more advanced in baseball than Korea, and I wanted to try it in a different environment. While playing for two years, I was able to learn the basic skills that Japanese baseball emphasizes. I also saw the attitude and know-how of the players towards baseball. My baseball values were established in Japan. It was a time to learn the basics, such as how to use the lower body when hitting and the precision of the swing,” said Kim Gyu-seong.
Kim Kyu-seong, who returned to Korea after playing for two years and served in the defense industry, re-challenged baseball after completing his military service. In May of last year, he visited the Song Kwang-min Baseball Training Center in Daejeon, run by former Hanwha representative Song Gwang-min, and built up his body for two months before entering the independent baseball team Gapyeong Wales in July. The league ended just as he was trying to catch up after playing for two months, and he had no regrets about quitting baseball, so he went to Daedeok University, the founding team, while looking for a way.
Kim Gyu-seong, who became a college freshman at the age of 24, said, “I can’t help but talk about my age. I have been playing baseball a little longer than other students, so I have the idea that I should do well while setting an example. I want to spread what I experienced first in a good way, such as the basic skills I learned in Japan and the sincere mindset when exercising. As a founding team, I think it is important to create such a culture and atmosphere well.”
When asked about his baseball style, he replied that he was a ‘middle and long distance hitter’. Kim Gyu-seong, who defined himself as “a mid-to-long-distance hitter who sends line drives between the left and right middles with an elaborate swing, not a style that just hits with force,” also appealed for his defensive power, saying, “My shoulders are above average.” Daedeok University coach Jeon Dae-young also evaluated, “He is a player with a lot of experience, so he has a level of skill.”
Daedeok University is a two-year university. Kim Gyu-seong prepares with the goal of being nominated for the 2025 KBO draft, which will be held next year. He said, “My dream is to go to the pros and become a good player.” “The individual is important, but I always played baseball with the idea that my team comes first. I will do my best to lead and encourage Daeduk University to achieve good results in the future.