1. Early Life and Education
Kim Min-hyeok was born on 3 May 1996, in Gwangju Metropolitan City, South Korea. He developed his baseball skills through the local school system, progressing through various levels before entering professional baseball.
1.1. Education
Kim Min-hyeok attended Gwangju Daeseong Elementary School, followed by Gwangju Dongsung Middle School. For his high school education, he enrolled in Gwangju Dongsung High School, where he continued to hone his baseball talent, preparing him for a professional career.
2. Professional Career
Kim Min-hyeok entered professional baseball in 2015 when he was selected 16th overall by the Doosan Bears in the second round of the KBO League's 2015 draft. Upon joining the team, he initially operated as a developmental player, working to refine his skills before becoming a full-fledged member of the roster.
2.1. Doosan Bears (2015-present)
Kim Min-hyeok officially registered as a professional player with the Doosan Bears before the start of the 2017 season. His KBO League debut came on 20 May 2017, in a game against the KIA Tigers, where he appeared as a pinch hitter. Though he went hitless in his first at-bat, he secured his first professional hit on 16 June 2017, in the eighth inning of a game against the NC Dinos, again entering as a pinch hitter. In his debut season, he played in 18 games. Following the 2017 season, Kim attempted to gain admission to the Armed Forces Athletic Corps (Sangmu) for his mandatory military service, but he was unsuccessful.
In 2018, Kim Min-hyeok participated in 22 games, a season during which he hit his first professional home run. After the season, he once again sought to join Sangmu, but his application was rejected for a second time. Consequently, he enlisted for active military duty on 19 March 2019. He successfully completed his service and was discharged on 21 October 2020, rejoining the Doosan Bears.
The 2022 season saw Kim Min-hyeok demonstrate his versatility in an unexpected role. On 17 May 2022, during a game against the SSG Landers, he made his professional debut as a catcher. This occurred due to injuries to other catchers, including Park Se-hyeok who was substituted early in the game, and his replacement, Park Yu-yeon, who also had to leave due to injury. In the Futures League (KBO's minor league), Kim Min-hyeok had a strong season, engaging in a fierce competition for the Northern League batting title with teammate Shin Sung-hyun. Although he narrowly missed the batting title by a single point, finishing with a .330 batting average, he distinguished himself by becoming the Northern League Home Run King for the season.
3. Playing Style and Characteristics
Kim Min-hyeok possesses a strong physical build, standing 74 in (188 cm) tall and weighing 220 lb (100 kg). His physique contributes to his powerful hitting ability as an infielder. Experts have noted his potential for hitting home runs, with one assessment from a Japanese IT solutions company, which handles player training, stating that Kim Min-hyeok has "good body flexibility and a good swing range, making it highly probable that he can hit many home runs." This assessment highlights his technical prowess and inherent physical attributes that support his offensive capabilities.
4. Statistics and Records
This section provides a comprehensive overview of Kim Min-hyeok's batting statistics and jersey numbers throughout his KBO League and Futures League career.
4.1. KBO Career Batting Statistics
| Year | Team | Batting Average | Games | At Bats | Runs | Hits | Doubles | Triples | Home Runs | Total Bases | RBIs | Stolen Bases | Caught Stealing | Walks | Hit by Pitch | Strikeouts | Double Plays | Errors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Doosan | 0.190 | 18 | 21 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0.226 | 22 | 53 | 7 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 20 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 19 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2021 | - | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 0.284 | 38 | 88 | 11 | 25 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 42 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 25 | 6 | 2 | |
| 2023 | 0.138 | 21 | 29 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2024 | 0.200 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| Career | 6 Seasons | 0.228 | 110 | 202 | 22 | 46 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 77 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 3 | 64 | 13 | 3 |
4.2. Jersey Numbers
Kim Min-hyeok has worn several jersey numbers throughout his professional career with the Doosan Bears:
- 68 (2015)
- 92 (2016-2017)
- 48 (2018)
- 100 (2020)
- 20 (2021)
- 18 (2022-2023)
- 10 (2024-)