Tommy Edman (28, St. Louis Cardinals), who has been on the Korean baseball team for the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC), is looking forward to the day he will play with the Taegeuk mark. “I started hitting drills earlier than usual,” he said.
On the 15th (Korean time), Edmund had an interview with the local media at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
He said, “It’s very special to be the first Korean-American to play for the Korean national team. I’m really looking forward to it. All the players who participated in the WBC said it was ‘one of the best experiences’. I’m very excited.”
National team coach Lee Kang-cheol included Edmund in the WBC final 30-man entry announced on the 4th.
Edmund is the first mixed-race player on the Korean national team. He attracted attention from the time he was selected as a preliminary entry. Players participating in the WBC can decide which country they will be participating in according to their parents or grandparents, and Edman conveyed his intention to participate in the WBC as a member of the Korean national team to the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO).
With the addition of Edmund, the power of the national team has been upgraded. Edmund is the recipient of the 2021 Gold Glove National League (NL) second baseman award given to the best defender in each category. The defense test has been completed. His attack power is also excellent. He played in 153 American Major League (MLB) 먹튀검증 games last year and recorded a batting average of 0.265 and 13 home runs OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.725. His four-season performance in the big leagues was 0.269 batting average, 40 home runs, 175 RBIs, and 79 stolen bases in 459 career games.
National team coach Lee Kang-cheol said, “He is a player who can be used as a multi-player and has won a Gold Glove. Because he is a player in the US like Ha-seong Kim, he will fit well as a keystone combination. I plan to use him as a starting player.”
Edmund recently started studying Korean to communicate with his colleagues. “I just started learning Korean,” he said. “I’m trying to get used to Korean consonants and vowels. I don’t know how much my Korean skills will improve.”
Edmund’s mother, Kwak Kyung-ah, his maternal grandmother, and younger sister will visit Japan, where the WBC 1st round Group B match will be held, to support Korea and Edmund. However, Edman said, “My wife is of Japanese descent, so there was a bit of a rivalry between me and her.” Korea and Japan will face off in the first round at the Tokyo Dome on March 10th.
Edman said, “I started hitting training earlier than usual. The WBC is also a reason for early training.”