1. Overview
Oh Hyoun-Taek (오현택Oh Hyoun-TaekKorean; born July 17, 1985) is a former South Korean baseball sidearm relief pitcher who played for the Doosan Bears and Lotte Giants in the KBO League. Born in Seoul, he is known for his transition to a sidearm pitching style early in his career to overcome velocity limitations, which ultimately enabled him to become a prominent bullpen arm in the KBO League. His professional journey includes a notable stint with the Sangmu Phoenix during his mandatory military service, where he achieved significant success and was selected for the 2011 Baseball World Cup All-Star team. He continued his career with the Doosan Bears, taking on various relief roles, and later joined the Lotte Giants, where he led the league in holds in 2018. He is also the cousin of Oh Tae-gon, an infielder and outfielder in the KBO League.
2. Early Life and Amateur Career
Oh Hyoun-Taek's baseball journey began during his formative years, progressing through various educational institutions before entering professional baseball.
2.1. Early Life and Education
Oh Hyoun-Taek attended Seoul Isu Elementary School and Isu Middle School. For his high school education, he initially enrolled at Baejae High School before transferring to Jangchung High School. Following high school, he continued his academic and athletic pursuits at Wonkwang University.
2.2. Amateur Baseball Career
During his time at Wonkwang University, Oh Hyoun-Taek emerged as a significant contributor to the baseball team, albeit without much individual recognition early on. In 2005, during his second year, he recorded 2 wins, 2 losses, and an impressive ERA of 2.70, which was the second-best within his team. His performance contributed to Wonkwang University's victory in the President's Flag National University Baseball Championship that year.
By his senior year in 2007, Oh Hyoun-Taek was a crucial pitcher for Wonkwang University, serving as the team's de facto ace, pitching effectively as both a starting pitcher and a relief pitcher, surpassing the performance of younger pitchers like Koo Bon-beom and Jeong Hoe-chan. That year, he helped Wonkwang University reach the semifinals in both the Spring League (KBA President's Flag National University Baseball Championship) and the President's Flag National University Baseball Championship. He pitched a total of 52.2 innings, accumulating 3 wins, 4 losses, 2 saves, and an ERA of 3.08. Despite his contributions and solid statistics, he was not highly scouted due to his fastball velocity, which reportedly only reached around 86 mph (138 km/h).
3. Professional Career
Oh Hyoun-Taek's professional career began as an undrafted free agent, leading him through different teams and a transformative period during his military service. This section details his journey in the KBO League and his international appearances.
3.1. Doosan Bears (2008-2010)
Despite his notable performance at Wonkwang University, Oh Hyoun-Taek went undrafted in the 2008 KBO League Draft due to concerns about his fastball velocity. He subsequently signed with the Doosan Bears as an undrafted free agent prior to the 2008 KBO League season. To address his velocity limitations, he transitioned his pitching style to a sidearm delivery after consulting with pitching coach Kwon Myung-chul, shifting his focus from speed to pitch movement.
After spending time in the minor leagues, he made his KBO League debut on June 3, 2009, in a relief appearance against the KIA Tigers. In the 2009 KBO League season, he was promoted to the Bears' first team, appearing in 17 games as a relief pitcher, posting a 4.45 ERA over 30.1 innings pitched. On April 27, 2010, against the Hanwha Eagles, he recorded his first professional win, pitching 2.1 hitless innings with 2 strikeouts. During the 2010 KBO League season, he pitched 15.1 innings across 12 games. Over these two seasons (2009-2010), he made 29 appearances, pitching 45.2 innings with 1 win and an ERA in the 5.00s. Following the 2010 season, he enlisted for his mandatory military service, joining the Sangmu Phoenix baseball team alongside teammate Yoo Hee-kwan.
3.2. Sangmu Phoenix (2010-2012)
During his two-year mandatory military service, Oh Hyoun-Taek played for the Sangmu Phoenix, where he significantly developed his pitching skills. In 2011, he formed a formidable pitching duo with Yoo Hee-kwan, achieving a record of 12 wins, 3 losses, and 2 holds with an ERA of 3.12. He gained recognition as one of the top submarine-style aces in the military league, comparable to Woo Gyu-min of the Police Baseball Team. His performance greatly improved his inning-eating ability and his approach to facing batters, as he added a circle changeup and a sinker to his repertoire of fastball, slider, and curveball. In 2012, he appeared in 21 games, recording 11 wins and 7 losses with an ERA of 3.75.
3.2.1. 2011 Baseball World Cup
In October 2011, while serving with Sangmu Phoenix, Oh Hyoun-Taek was selected to represent the South Korea national baseball team at the 2011 Baseball World Cup held in Panama. This marked his first international competition, where he delivered exceptional performances. He appeared in 5 games as both a starter and a long reliever, pitching a total of 22.2 innings. He recorded 2 wins and 1 loss, with an outstanding 0.40 ERA and a tournament-leading 35 strikeouts.
His most notable outings included a dominant performance against Australia on October 5, where he pitched 7 innings, allowing only 2 hits and no runs while striking out 10 batters. On October 9, against Italy, he pitched 7.2 innings, surrendering 5 hits and no runs, with an impressive 14 strikeouts. His remarkable contributions earned him a spot on the tournament's All-Star team as a starting pitcher.
3.3. Return to Doosan Bears (2013-2017)
After completing his military service, Oh Hyoun-Taek returned to the Doosan Bears, continuing his professional career and taking on various roles within the team's bullpen.
3.3.1. Key Performance and Role Changes (2013-2014)
Upon his return in the 2013 KBO League season, Oh Hyoun-Taek quickly became a vital part of the Doosan Bears' bullpen. In the early part of the season, due to injuries to key relievers like Hong Sang-sam and the struggles of Byeon Si-won, he temporarily filled the role of closer. From April 5 to May 4, he delivered a stellar performance, pitching 20.1 innings with 2 saves and no earned runs. However, after recording a blown save on May 8 and with the return of Hong Sang-sam from injury, he transitioned to a setup man role. Despite this change, he frequently served as a temporary closer whenever Hong Sang-sam struggled, demonstrating his versatility as a "jack-of-all-trades" pitcher. In 2013, he appeared in a career-high 67 games, leading the team and ranking fourth in the league in appearances. He pitched 73.1 innings, securing 5 wins, 3 losses, 5 saves, 7 holds, and 65 strikeouts, with an ERA in the 2.00s.
In the 2014 KBO League season, he occasionally made temporary starts while primarily working out of the bullpen. He appeared in 58 games, pitching 66.2 innings, and finished the season with 4 wins, 3 losses, 4 holds, and an ERA in the 3.00s. At the end of 2014, his salary was increased to 110.00 M KRW for the 2015 season, marking his first time earning over 100.00 M KRW.
3.3.2. Injuries and Rehabilitation (2015-2017)
The 2015 KBO League season presented new challenges for Oh Hyoun-Taek. Although he struggled early in the season, he regained stability upon his return to the first team, becoming a strong pillar in the bullpen. He pitched in 61 games, the second-highest on the team, accumulating 56 innings with 1 win, 3 losses, and a career-high 13 holds, marking his first double-digit holds season. However, he began experiencing elbow pain in September, which led to a surge in his ERA. Following the season, he underwent surgery to remove bone fragments from his elbow.
He made his return in the 2016 KBO League season after completing his surgery and rehabilitation. His initial five appearances after returning showed promise, with an ERA in the 1.00s, seemingly indicating a return to his previous form. However, his performance gradually declined, and he struggled significantly in his last 10 appearances, posting an ERA in the 11.00s over 9.1 innings. Due to his ongoing struggles and the need for further rehabilitation, he was removed from the first team. In March 2017, he underwent a second surgery to remove bone fragments from his elbow.
3.4. Lotte Giants (2018-2021)
Oh Hyoun-Taek transferred to the Lotte Giants via the 2018 KBO League secondary draft. In the 2018 KBO League season, he quickly established himself as a key component of the Giants' bullpen. He played in a new career-high 72 games, pitching 64.2 innings and recording 3 wins, 2 losses, 25 holds, and an ERA of 3.76. He competed with Lee Bo-geun for the league lead in holds throughout the season, ultimately securing the Holds Title by a margin of one hold in the final game of the season on October 14 against the Doosan Bears, a game in which he pitched for the fourth consecutive day. He also led the league in appearances that year. In October 2021, he was released by the Lotte Giants, marking the end of his professional career.
4. Career Statistics
The following table summarizes Oh Hyoun-Taek's regular season statistics in the KBO League:
| Year | Team | ERA | Games | Complete Games | Shutouts | Wins | Losses | Saves | Holds | Win-Loss % | Batters Faced | Innings Pitched | Hits Allowed | Home Runs Allowed | Walks | Hit Batters | Strikeouts | Runs Allowed | Earned Runs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Doosan | 4.45 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 130 | 30.1 | 33 | 4 | 13 | 1 | 22 | 15 | 15 |
| 2010 | Doosan | 6.46 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 69 | 15.1 | 18 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 11 | 12 | 11 |
| 2013 | Doosan | 2.70 | 67 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 0.625 | 302 | 73.1 | 65 | 6 | 19 | 8 | 65 | 23 | 22 |
| 2014 | Doosan | 3.65 | 58 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0.571 | 300 | 66.2 | 81 | 6 | 18 | 5 | 56 | 28 | 27 |
| 2015 | Doosan | 5.30 | 61 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 0.250 | 239 | 56 | 59 | 6 | 16 | 4 | 45 | 33 | 33 |
| 2016 | Doosan | 6.10 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1.000 | 91 | 20.2 | 29 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 17 | 14 | 14 |
| 2018 | Lotte | 3.76 | 72 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 25 | 0.600 | 268 | 64.2 | 66 | 11 | 12 | 3 | 63 | 32 | 27 |
| 2019 | Lotte | 4.97 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 56 | 12.2 | 15 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 7 |
| 2020 | Lotte | 3.75 | 48 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0.750 | 152 | 36 | 37 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 17 | 15 | 15 |
| 2021 | Lotte | 6.61 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 87 | 16.1 | 28 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 13 | 12 |
| Career Total | 10 seasons | 4.20 | 390 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 13 | 5 | 61 | 0.594 | 1694 | 392 | 431 | 51 | 105 | 27 | 312 | 194 | 183 |
5. External links
- [http://www.koreabaseball.com/Record/PitcherDetail1.aspx?pcode=79293 Oh Hyoun-Taek at KBO (official website)]