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Wiz closer Park Yeong-hyun focuses on playoff race as he nears first KBO save title

Published: 24 Sep. 2025, 17:07

KT Wiz pitcher Park Yeong-hyun pitches against the LG Twins during the first round of the KBO playoffs at Suwon KT Wiz Park in Suwon, Gyeonggi, on Oct. 9, 2024. [YONHAP]

SUWON, Gyeonggi — KT Wiz closer Park Yeong-hyun, 22, is cementing himself as the KBO's premier reliever, shattering the team saves record with 35 and pulling away in the race for his first KBO save title.

Park has all but secured the KBO’s save title in the 2025 season. As of Monday, he had 35 saves, three ahead of Hanwha Eagles reliever Kim Seo-hyeon. Just two more saves would all but guarantee his first career save crown.

Born in 2003, Park has developed into one of the league’s most reliable bullpen arms in just three seasons.

He debuted in 2022 and quickly showed promise as a reliever. In 2023, he recorded 32 holds to win the title in that category. Last year, he successfully transitioned into the closer role, stepping in after Kim Jae-yoon left for the Samsung Lions in free agency. Park racked up 25 saves in his first season as a closer and went on to anchor the Korean national team’s bullpen.

This year, he broke Kim Jae-yoon’s Wiz single-season record of 33 saves, adding his 35th on Sunday.

“Jae-yoon told me off for breaking the record he worked eight years to build,” Park said on Sunday. “It was half a scolding and half a compliment, and it felt good.”

That save came on the day Samsung Lions closer Oh Seung-hwan held his retirement ceremony in Suwon, Gyeonggi. A longtime fan of Oh, Park said he felt too shy to approach him directly but made sure to stand next to him in the commemorative photo.

KT Wiz pitcher Park Yeong-hyun, right, poses with Samsung Lions pitcher Oh Seung-hwan on Sept. 21. [KT WIZ]

“As a kid, I didn’t take baseball seriously, and I wasn’t really a fan of anyone,” Park said. “But in middle school, I watched Oh pitch in MLB. He was beating the best hitters with nothing but a fastball, and I thought, ‘I want to be that kind of pitcher one day’

“Watching his retirement tour gave me even more determination. I want to follow in his footsteps.”

Like Oh, Park is known for his power fastball, which regularly tops 150 kilometers per hour (93 miles per hour). Analysts say he is still far from matching Oh’s legacy but could follow in his footsteps if he maintains his current form.

“What I admire most about Oh isn’t just his fastball,” Park said. “It’s his composure on the mound, the way he gets outs without showing any emotion. I’ve been trying to pitch with that mindset since I was young.”

If Park secures the saves title, he would become only the fourth pitcher in KBO history to win both the hold and save titles, after Cho Woong-cheon, Jung Jae-hoon and Jung Woo-ram.

“Those kinds of records aren’t what matter most,” Park said. “What matters is the Wiz reaching the postseason. Winning both titles can come after that.”

The Wiz need to maintain their fifth place on the standings to secure the last ticket to the postseason.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KO BONG-JUN [[email protected]]