Jin Kab-Yong
Encyclopedia
Jin Kab-Yong (born May 8, 1974 in Busan
, South Korea
) is a catcher
who plays for the Samsung Lions
in the Korea Baseball Organization
. He bats and throws right-handed.
, South Korea
, Jin was selected for the South Korea national baseball team as a high schooler to compete in the 17th Asian Baseball Championship
in Perth
, Australia
.
After the competition, he began his collegiate career at Korea University
in Seoul
, South Korea
. At Korea University
, he led his team to numerous national college titles alongside his battery
mates Son Min-Han and Jo Seong-min, and did not miss any single international competition that the South Korea national baseball team participated during his four years at college, garnering national attention as a highly regarded baseball prospect.
Draft. He entered the league with high expectation, but spent his first Bears career as a backup catcher, appearing in 95 games, hardly showing signs of promise as a starting catcher.
In 1998, Jin was named to the South Korea national baseball team that won the gold medal in the Asian Games
in Bangkok
, Thailand
. Jin received a military exemption for winning the gold medal, along with the fellow gold medalists Park Chan-Ho, Seo Jae-Weong and Kim Byung-Hyun.
In the 1999 season, another catcher prospect Hong Sung-Heon
was signed by the Bears upon graduation from college, and his arrival provided further fierce competition for the starting catcher position. In July 1999, Jin was eventually traded to the Samsung Lions
.
In the 2000 season, the Lions signed All-Star veteran Kim Dong-Soo and made Jin return to the backup catcher. But after Kim was put on the disabled list during the season, Jin was the starting catcher for most of 2000. In 2001, Kim came back from the injury, but Jin shared the starting position behind the plate with Kim without being the backup again.
Upon Kim Dong-Soo's departure through free agency to the SK Wyverns
in the winter of 2001, Jin earned the full-time position behind the plate for the Lions.
As the Lions' No. 1 catcher, Jin led his team to the 2002, 2005 and 2006 Korean Series
champions.
He played for South Korea at the 2006 World Baseball Classic
, and led his team to the bronze medal, sharing the starting position behind the plate with Hong Sung-Heon
and Jo In-seong.
In 2008, Jin was selected for the South Korea national baseball team to compete in the Beijing Olympic Games. In Beijing, he played in the first five games as a starting catcher. However, after the game against Chinese Taipei, he was out of the starting lineup because of a hamstring injury. In the gold medal game against Cuba
, Jin was unexpectedly sent back behind the plate right after his fellow catcher Kang Min-Ho
was ejected by the plate umpire for arguing strikes and balls in the bottom of the ninth inning, and contributed to escaping the one-out bases-loaded jam by inducing a game-ending double play
along with closer
Chong Tae-Hyon
to edge Cuba 3-2.
Busan
Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
) is a catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
who plays for the Samsung Lions
Samsung Lions
Samsung Lions Baseball Club is a Korea Professional Baseball team founded in 1982. They are based in Daegu and are members of the Korean Baseball Organization. Their home stadium is Daegu Baseball Stadium...
in the Korea Baseball Organization
Korea Baseball Organization
The Korea Baseball Organization is the governing body for the professional leagues of baseball in South Korea. KBO should not be confused with the Korea Professional Baseball League. KBO was founded in 1981 and has been governing two leagues, Korea Professional Baseball and Futures League since...
. He bats and throws right-handed.
Amateur career
In February 1993, while attending Busan High School in BusanBusan
Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, Jin was selected for the South Korea national baseball team as a high schooler to compete in the 17th Asian Baseball Championship
Asian Baseball Championship
The Asian Baseball Championship is the main championship tournament between national baseball teams in Asia, governed by the Baseball Federation of Asia . It is held every other year in odd-numbered years and since 1983 it also functions as the qualification games for the Baseball at the Summer...
in Perth
City of Perth
The City of Perth is a local government area and body, within the Perth Metropolitan Area, which is the capital of Western Australia. The local government body is commonly known as Perth City Council. The city covers the Perth central business district and surrounding suburbs...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
After the competition, he began his collegiate career at Korea University
Korea University
Korea University is a prestigious nonsectarian, private research university located primarily in Seoul, South Korea, and one of the SKY universities, a historical acronym used in South Korea to refer to Seoul National University, Korea University, and Yonsei University. Founded by Lee Yong-ik in...
in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. At Korea University
Korea University
Korea University is a prestigious nonsectarian, private research university located primarily in Seoul, South Korea, and one of the SKY universities, a historical acronym used in South Korea to refer to Seoul National University, Korea University, and Yonsei University. Founded by Lee Yong-ik in...
, he led his team to numerous national college titles alongside his battery
Battery (baseball)
In baseball, the term battery refers collectively to the pitcher and the catcher, who may also be called batterymen or batterymates of one another.- History :...
mates Son Min-Han and Jo Seong-min, and did not miss any single international competition that the South Korea national baseball team participated during his four years at college, garnering national attention as a highly regarded baseball prospect.
Notable international careers
| Year | Venue | Competition | Team | Individual Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | World Junior Baseball Championship World Junior Baseball Championship The IBAF AAA World Junior Championships is an under-18 international baseball competition sponsored by the International Baseball Federation , which was first held in 1981 in United States... |
5th | ||
| 1993 | Asian Baseball Championship Asian Baseball Championship The Asian Baseball Championship is the main championship tournament between national baseball teams in Asia, governed by the Baseball Federation of Asia . It is held every other year in odd-numbered years and since 1983 it also functions as the qualification games for the Baseball at the Summer... |
 |
||
| 1993 | Universiade Baseball at the Universiade Baseball is not currently played at the Summer Universiade. However, in 1993, the baseball tournament was held at the XVII Summer Universiade in Buffalo, USA, and it was staged two years after at the XVIII Summer Universiade in Fukuoka, Japan.... |
|
||
| 1994 | Asian Games Baseball at the Asian Games Baseball has been an event at the Asian Games, since the Games in Hiroshima, Japan in 1994.-Medal table:-Medalists:-External links:*... |
|
||
| 1994 | Baseball World Cup | |
.389 BA (7-for-18) | |
| 1995 | Universiade Baseball at the Universiade Baseball is not currently played at the Summer Universiade. However, in 1993, the baseball tournament was held at the XVII Summer Universiade in Buffalo, USA, and it was staged two years after at the XVIII Summer Universiade in Fukuoka, Japan.... |
|
.333 BA (2-for-6), 1 RBI | |
| 1995 | Asian Baseball Championship Asian Baseball Championship The Asian Baseball Championship is the main championship tournament between national baseball teams in Asia, governed by the Baseball Federation of Asia . It is held every other year in odd-numbered years and since 1983 it also functions as the qualification games for the Baseball at the Summer... |
|
||
| 1995 | Intercontinental Cup Intercontinental Cup (baseball) The Intercontinental Cup is a baseball tournament between the members of the International Baseball Federation . It was first held in 1973 in Italy, and was held every other year following until 1999.... |
4th | ||
| 1996 | Olympic Games Olympic Games The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate... |
8th | .346 BA (6-for-29), 3 RBI |
Professional career
Jin was selected by the OB Bears with the first pick in the 2nd Round of the 1997 KBOKorea Baseball Organization
The Korea Baseball Organization is the governing body for the professional leagues of baseball in South Korea. KBO should not be confused with the Korea Professional Baseball League. KBO was founded in 1981 and has been governing two leagues, Korea Professional Baseball and Futures League since...
Draft. He entered the league with high expectation, but spent his first Bears career as a backup catcher, appearing in 95 games, hardly showing signs of promise as a starting catcher.
In 1998, Jin was named to the South Korea national baseball team that won the gold medal in the Asian Games
Baseball at the Asian Games
Baseball has been an event at the Asian Games, since the Games in Hiroshima, Japan in 1994.-Medal table:-Medalists:-External links:*...
in Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. Jin received a military exemption for winning the gold medal, along with the fellow gold medalists Park Chan-Ho, Seo Jae-Weong and Kim Byung-Hyun.
In the 1999 season, another catcher prospect Hong Sung-Heon
Hong Sung-Heon
Hong Sung-Heun is a South Korean designated hitter and first baseman for the Lotte Giants in the Korean Baseball Organization...
was signed by the Bears upon graduation from college, and his arrival provided further fierce competition for the starting catcher position. In July 1999, Jin was eventually traded to the Samsung Lions
Samsung Lions
Samsung Lions Baseball Club is a Korea Professional Baseball team founded in 1982. They are based in Daegu and are members of the Korean Baseball Organization. Their home stadium is Daegu Baseball Stadium...
.
In the 2000 season, the Lions signed All-Star veteran Kim Dong-Soo and made Jin return to the backup catcher. But after Kim was put on the disabled list during the season, Jin was the starting catcher for most of 2000. In 2001, Kim came back from the injury, but Jin shared the starting position behind the plate with Kim without being the backup again.
Upon Kim Dong-Soo's departure through free agency to the SK Wyverns
SK Wyverns
SK Wyverns Baseball Club is a South Korean professional baseball team founded in 2000. Based in Incheon, they play their home games at Munhak Baseball Stadium.Their current manager is Man Soo Lee .-History:...
in the winter of 2001, Jin earned the full-time position behind the plate for the Lions.
As the Lions' No. 1 catcher, Jin led his team to the 2002, 2005 and 2006 Korean Series
Korean Series
The Korean Series is the championship series of the Korea Baseball Organization. It has been held since the KBO's first season in and is the final series of in the post-season play-offs. From , the winner of the Korean Series goes on to play in the Asia Series....
champions.
He played for South Korea at the 2006 World Baseball Classic
2006 World Baseball Classic
---------Pool B:-------------Pool C:-------------Pool D:-------------Pool 1:-----------------Pool 2:-------------Finals:-Semifinals:-Final:-Final standings:...
, and led his team to the bronze medal, sharing the starting position behind the plate with Hong Sung-Heon
Hong Sung-Heon
Hong Sung-Heun is a South Korean designated hitter and first baseman for the Lotte Giants in the Korean Baseball Organization...
and Jo In-seong.
In 2008, Jin was selected for the South Korea national baseball team to compete in the Beijing Olympic Games. In Beijing, he played in the first five games as a starting catcher. However, after the game against Chinese Taipei, he was out of the starting lineup because of a hamstring injury. In the gold medal game against Cuba
Cuba national baseball team
The Cuba national baseball team is the national team of Cuba. The team is made up of amateur players from the Cuban national baseball system, as there are no professional sports leagues in Cuba...
, Jin was unexpectedly sent back behind the plate right after his fellow catcher Kang Min-Ho
Kang Min-Ho
Kang Min-Ho is a catcher who plays for the Lotte Giants in the Korean Baseball Organization.-Amateur career:...
was ejected by the plate umpire for arguing strikes and balls in the bottom of the ninth inning, and contributed to escaping the one-out bases-loaded jam by inducing a game-ending double play
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
along with closer
Closer (baseball)
In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer , is a relief pitcher who specializes in closing out games, i.e., getting the final outs in a close game. Closers often appear when the score is close, and the role is often assigned to a team's best reliever. A small number of...
Chong Tae-Hyon
Chong Tae-Hyon
Tae-Hyon Chong is a South Korean professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He bats and throws right-handed...
to edge Cuba 3-2.
Notable international careers
| Year | Venue | Competition | Team | Individual Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Asian Games Baseball at the Asian Games Baseball has been an event at the Asian Games, since the Games in Hiroshima, Japan in 1994.-Medal table:-Medalists:-External links:*... |
 |
.250 BA (2-for-8), 1 RBI | |
| 2003 | Asian Baseball Championship Asian Baseball Championship The Asian Baseball Championship is the main championship tournament between national baseball teams in Asia, governed by the Baseball Federation of Asia . It is held every other year in odd-numbered years and since 1983 it also functions as the qualification games for the Baseball at the Summer... |
 |
.143 BA (1-for-7), 1 RBI | |
| 2006 | World Baseball Classic 2006 World Baseball Classic ---------Pool B:-------------Pool C:-------------Pool D:-------------Pool 1:-----------------Pool 2:-------------Finals:-Semifinals:-Final:-Final standings:... |
|
.091 BA (1-for-11) | |
| 2008 | Final Olympic Qualification Tournament | |
.235 BA (4-for-17), 4 RBI | |
| 2008 | Olympic Games | |
.100 BA (1-for-10) | |
External links
- Profile and stats on the KBO official site