He changed his uniform twice in the last four years. Doosan Bears outfielder Choo Jae-hyun said, "There is no other place to step down," vowing to play with the determination that it is really the last game.
Doosan had a "big deal" with the Lotte Giants in late November last year. It gave up relief pitcher Jeong Cheol-won, a former rookie of the year, and key infielder Jeon Min-jae, and brought promising outfielder Kim Min-seok, Choo Jae-hyun, and pitcher Choi Woo-in.
Choo smiled awkwardly, saying, "I didn't expect it." "I was a little embarrassed, but I think it's more positive. When I went to Lotte, I thought I was too young. It's different now," he said, expressing his commitment to exercise desperately for survival.
Choo Jae-hyun joined the Kiwoom Heroes (then Nexen Heroes) in the second and third rounds of the 2018 Rookie Draft. He was traded to Lotte in April 2020. He was accepted to the position of Sangmu after the 2022 season. He was able to work as a social service worker but volunteered to be active in the field. In the Futures League in 2023, he had a batting average of .324 and an on-base percentage of .423. However, after returning to Lotte in the summer of 2024, he played in only two games in the first team and was notified of the transfer.
In fact, Choo has returned to his parents' home. Born in Shinil High School in Kondaebu, Choo is from Seoul. "Some say it's not good to come back home after studying for oneself, but I like it," Choo said with a smile. "I don't have to do housework anymore." He can concentrate 100 percent only on exercising.
Choo Jae-hyun confessed that he was short-sighted in the first trade. He went down to Busan with only vague expectations that a new opportunity would come from the new team. Choo said, "I was 22 years old then. I just thought it was good. But even when I went to that team, I had another role to play and the opportunities I was given were limited, and I was too complacent about that."
Now he feels more serious and heavy responsibility. "Now I can think more deeply than when I was young. I have been in the military for five years and have been a professional player," Choo said. "I feel that I have broadened my thoughts. I really feel that I am the last team this time. I am preparing with the thought that if I do not do well, I must not do well."
From the outside, Doosan was a very energetic team. Choo Jae-hyun said, "It looked really strong," and recalled, "There are cheering songs in the seventh and eighth innings. When I heard that song, I used to feel that it was really not easy to beat." We have to survive in this team. Doosan has one outfield seat left vacant in addition to center fielder Jung Soo-bin and foreign hitter Jake Cave. "It's a competition, but personally, I try to focus on maximizing the play that I'm good at," Choo Jae-hyun said cautiously. "Then, I think the result will be better than the competition." 먹튀검증
Choo has already increased his exercise capacity quite a bit. Along with weight training, he is also continuously engaged in technical training. This contrasts with how most players in the offseason focus on basic physical training rather than skills. "I didn't want to lose the sense I felt during the closing camp, so I kept practicing to make it mine," Choo said. "There are less than three weeks left until the spring camp. From now on, I will focus more on sprinting and running and adjust to around 70 percent of the time until the camp. I hope I can play a role in my team's performance. I will do my best at the ballpark because my motivation is different," Choo said.