1. Overview
Kim Se-hyun (김세현Gim Se-hyeon (Kim Se-hyŏn)Korean; born Kim Young-min (김영민Gim Yeong-min (Kim Yŏng-min)Korean), August 7, 1987) is a former South Korean pitcher who played for the SSG Landers in the KBO League. Known for his high-velocity fastball, Kim Se-hyun's career was marked by both significant achievements, such as winning the Saves King title in 2016, and formidable personal challenges, including severe injuries and a life-threatening illness that led to a pivotal name change. His journey reflects resilience in overcoming adversity to contribute significantly to his teams.
2. Early Life and Amateur Career
Kim Se-hyun's early life and educational background were rooted in Seoul, where he also began to make a name for himself in amateur baseball, leading his teams to notable championships.
2.1. Childhood and Education
Kim Se-hyun was born on August 7, 1987, in Seoul, South Korea. He attended Seoul Dosin Elementary School and Wooshin Middle School before graduating from Duksoo High School (formerly Duksoo Commercial High School) in Seoul.
2.2. Amateur Baseball Career
Kim first garnered significant attention in 2004 during his time at Duksoo High School. He led his team to a national championship and was awarded the Best Pitcher title at the 56th Hwarang Flag National Championship, a prominent competition for high school baseball in South Korea. The following year, he continued his success, helping his team secure their second consecutive championship at the 57th Hwarang Flag National Championship. His strong performance made him a sought-after prospect in the KBO Draft.
3. Professional Career
Kim Se-hyun's professional baseball career in the KBO League spanned various teams, each period marked by distinct challenges and achievements, culminating in his eventual retirement.
3.1. Hyundai Unicorns
Kim Se-hyun entered the KBO League in 2006 after being selected as the 17th overall pick in the 2006 KBO Draft by the Hyundai Unicorns. He signed a contract with a bonus of 100.00 M KRW. Although he did not reach the first team in his inaugural year due to control issues, he demonstrated his potential in 2007 by achieving a respectable 3.48 earned run average (ERA) and showcasing a powerful fastball consistently around 93 mph (150 km/h). Despite his talent, his inconsistent control remained a significant challenge. Following the 2007 season, the Hyundai Unicorns organization was dissolved, and its players were subsequently acquired by a newly formed team.
3.2. Nexen Heroes and its Predecessor Teams
After the dissolution of the Hyundai Unicorns, Kim continued his career with its successor teams, including Our Heroes, Heroes, and eventually Nexen Heroes. This period was characterized by initial struggles, significant injuries, a personal name change, and ultimately, a remarkable transformation into one of the league's top closers.
3.2.1. Injuries and Name Change
Kim endured a challenging second year in 2008 and saw no significant improvement in 2009, recording an ERA in the 5s across 18 appearances. Despite his struggles, coaches like Kim Si-jin and Jung Min-tae recognized his potential as a starter. However, a major setback occurred on January 4, 2010, when he ruptured his knee cruciate ligament during personal training, forcing him to miss the entire 2010 season for rehabilitation. This severe injury also resulted in his exemption from mandatory military service. He made his return in 2011, securing his first career starting win against the Doosan Bears on June 16, 2011. However, the knee injury recurred, limiting him to only eight appearances that season.
On September 5, 2015, Kim achieved a career milestone by pitching his first complete game shutout against the SK Wyverns, allowing just five hits. Shortly after this achievement, he was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, which abruptly ended his 2015 season. This profound personal health crisis deeply influenced his decision to change his name from Kim Young-min to Kim Se-hyun. The name change, officially registered on December 8, 2015, used characters meaning "power" (勢) and "precious jade" (玹), reflecting his strong desire to overcome his illness and "become more solid" following his health struggles. The Hanja for his new name is 金勢玹, while his birth name's Hanja was 金榮敏.
3.2.2. Rise as a Closer and Saves King
Kim transitioned primarily to a relief pitching role starting in 2014, accumulating five wins and two holds. In 2016, following the departure of closer Son Seung-lak to the Lotte Giants via free agency, Kim Se-hyun stepped into the closing role for the Nexen Heroes. He recorded his first career save on April 6, 2016, against the Hanwha Eagles. This season proved to be his breakthrough year, as he successfully converted 36 saves, earning him his first individual title as the KBO League's Saves King. His dominant performance was recognized at the 2016 KBO League awards ceremony, where he received the Saves Award.
3.3. KIA Tigers
On July 31, 2017, Kim Se-hyun was involved in a significant 2-for-2 trade that sent him and teammate Yoo Jae-sin from the Nexen Heroes to the KIA Tigers, in exchange for pitchers Lee Seung-ho and Son Dong-wook. During his tenure with the KIA Tigers, Kim's performance saw a decline. He finished the 2017 season with 18 saves and 7 holds, but his ERA increased. His struggles continued into 2018, and by 2019, he made only 10 appearances with an ERA over 6.00, indicating a period of significant challenges.
3.4. SK Wyverns and SSG Landers
On November 20, 2019, Kim Se-hyun was transferred to the SK Wyverns through the KBO's 2nd Draft, a mechanism for teams to acquire surplus players. He joined the team for the 2020 season. In 2021, due to the sale of the SK Wyverns organization, he became a player for the newly rebranded SSG Landers. However, his performance continued to decline, and he was officially released by the SSG Landers on May 11, 2021. The team's manager noted that Kim's pitching velocity and control were no longer meeting expectations, with his ERA standing at 10.38 at the time of his release. He officially became a free agent on May 18, 2021, marking the end of his professional playing career.
4. Playstyle and Characteristics
Kim Se-hyun was primarily a right-handed pitcher, despite being left-handed in his daily life. His main strength was a high-velocity fastball, consistently thrown at around 93 mph (150 km/h). However, a persistent challenge throughout his career was his command of pitches, which often led to high walk rates and contributed to struggles with his earned run average in certain seasons.
5. Retirement
Kim Se-hyun retired from professional baseball in 2021. His release from the SSG Landers on May 11, 2021, and his subsequent designation as a free agent on May 18, 2021, officially concluded his playing career after 14 seasons in the KBO League.
6. Career Statistics
Kim Se-hyun's professional pitching statistics throughout his KBO League career are detailed below:
| Year | Team | ERA | Games | Complete Games | Shutouts | Wins | Losses | Saves | Holds | Win% | Batters Faced | Innings Pitched | Hits Allowed | Home Runs Allowed | Walks | Hit By Pitch | Strikeouts | Runs Allowed | Earned Runs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Hyundai | 3.48 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 143 | 33.2 | 30 | 3 | 15 | 1 | 18 | 13 | 13 |
| 2008 | Woori | 7.04 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.333 | 117 | 23 | 39 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 12 | 22 | 17 |
| 2009 | Heroes | 5.94 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.250 | 220 | 47 | 54 | 4 | 28 | 3 | 37 | 36 | 31 |
| 2011 | Nexen | 5.96 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.500 | 111 | 22.2 | 27 | 1 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 17 | 15 |
| 2012 | Nexen | 4.69 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0.357 | 554 | 121 | 143 | 9 | 70 | 3 | 90 | 68 | 63 |
| 2013 | Nexen | 5.15 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0.500 | 455 | 101.1 | 119 | 7 | 48 | 3 | 55 | 62 | 58 |
| 2014 | Nexen | 8.00 | 34 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0.714 | 220 | 45 | 62 | 3 | 29 | 5 | 33 | 43 | 40 |
| 2015 | Nexen | 4.38 | 57 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 0.444 | 389 | 90.1 | 90 | 14 | 28 | 7 | 85 | 47 | 44 |
| 2016 | Nexen | 2.60 | 62 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 36 | 0 | 1.000 | 254 | 62.1 | 66 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 50 | 19 | 18 |
| 2017 | KIA | 5.40 | 48 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 18 | 7 | 0.167 | 230 | 50 | 65 | 4 | 15 | 2 | 47 | 31 | 30 |
| 2018 | KIA | 6.75 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0.143 | 191 | 40 | 56 | 4 | 17 | 2 | 32 | 32 | 30 |
| 2019 | KIA | 6.23 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 48 | 8.2 | 11 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 6 |
| 2020 | SK | 5.79 | 42 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 1.000 | 187 | 42 | 44 | 7 | 22 | 1 | 35 | 28 | 27 |
| 2021 | SSG | 10.38 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 28 | 4.1 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Career Totals | 14 Seasons | 5.18 | 414 | 1 | 1 | 30 | 41 | 59 | 22 | 0.423 | 3147 | 691.1 | 815 | 59 | 321 | 35 | 514 | 431 | 398 |
7. Jersey Numbers
Kim Se-hyun wore several different jersey numbers throughout his KBO League career:
- 50 (2006-2012, 2015-2017 mid-season, 2019)
- 38 (2013-2014)
- 49 (2017 mid-season-2018)
- 10 (2020)
- 33 (2021-2021 mid-season)