“My dad was a great hitter.”

Kevin Shim, the son of “Herculean” Jung-soo Shim, has made it to the major leagues.

Kevin Shim is the second son of Jung-soo Shim, one of the best sluggers in KBO history. Kevin Shim was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the 148th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2023 MLB Draft on June 11 (KST). He becomes the 26th Korean player to be selected by a major league organization.스포츠토토

Shim is a power hitter who first came to prominence when he joined the OB Bears in 1994. He went on to hit a whopping 328 home runs in 15 seasons between OB, the Hyundai Unicorns, and the Samsung Lions. He was nicknamed “Hera-class” and “boy wonder” for his power, as he could go over the fence if he was hit. In 2007, he won the home run title with 31 home runs, and in 2003, he had a 53-homer season. He lost the title to Samsung’s Lee Seung-yeop, who hit 56 home runs, but their title rivalry remains one of the most memorable in the KBO.

After retiring from baseball, Shim went straight to the United States for coaching, and his three sons followed suit. The oldest, Jake Shim, tried his hand at the KBO, but was unsuccessful. But his second son realized a bigger dream.

His hitting is just like his father’s. He showed off his devastating power at the draft combine on Tuesday. He hit four balls over 400 feet (about 122 meters). Kevin Shim was also recognized for his power at the University of San Diego, where he hit 25 home runs over the past two seasons.

MLB.com, the official site of Major League Baseball, shared more about Sim and his story. “My dad has been there for me from the time I was a kid all the way through college,” said Kevin Shim. I was lucky to learn from him, to work with him on the field and off the field, and to learn his skills,” he explained.

Shim wanted his son to emulate the hitting of more popular players in the KBO, but as fate would have it, over time, his son developed a swing similar to his own. “My dad was a great hitter throughout his career,” says Kevin Shim, “and I worked on hitting with him nonstop. Everything I show on the field is a result of simplifying the process of finding the right swing for me. There are definitely some basic philosophies that I always think about.”