Kim Kwang-hyun

Kwang-hyun Kim (; born July 22, 1988) is a South Korean professional baseball pitcher for the SSG Landers of the KBO League. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Amateur career Kim attended Ansan Technical High School in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. In 2004, he led his team to the first national championship ever, pitching four-consecutive complete game victories in the tournament with a 0.96 ERA, and was named MVP.

Professional career

SK Wyverns (2007–2019) Signed by the SK Wyverns, Kim made his professional debut on April 10, 2007. He was in the Wyverns' starting pitching rotation for most of the 2007 KBO League season. Although his performance was inconsistent, he showed signs of promise as a rookie, including pitching a one-hit victory in 7 innings over the Doosan Bears, facing MVP Daniel Rios in the 2007 Korean Series.

In the 2008 season, Kim had a career year. He went 16–4 with a 2.39 ERA and 150 strikeouts in 162 innings pitched. Kim ended the season as the KBO League leader for both wins and strikeouts.

On August 2, 2009, Kim was hit with a batted ball hit by Hyun-soo Kim when he had one of the worst pitching performances in his KBO League career, allowing 4 runs in just 2 innings against the Doosan Bears. He suffered a fracture on the back of his hand and he was out for the season as the result. However, he won the 2009 ERA title, pitching 138.1 innings which enabled him enough to qualify for the ERA title. However, contract negotiations ended without an agreement and Kim returned to the SK Wyverns.

For the 2019 season, Kim went 17–6 with a 2.51 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP over 190.1 innings.

St. Louis Cardinals (2020–2021) On December 17, 2019, Kim signed a two-year contract worth $11 million (combined option $3 million) with the St. Louis Cardinals. The SK Wyverns received a $1.6 million posting fee. When the start of the 2020 Major League Baseball season was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Kim considered returning to Korea to be with his family. He was convinced, however, by Cardinals teammate Adam Wainwright to stay in the United States with the Cardinals.

On July 24, 2020, Kim made his MLB debut against the Pittsburgh Pirates, allowing 1 earned run over 1 inning of work. On August 22, he earned his 1st MLB win. Kim finished his first MLB season with a 3–0 record, 24 strikeouts and a 1.62 ERA.

In 2021, Kim appeared in 27 games (21 starts) and posted a 7–7 record with a 3.46 ERA, 80 strikeouts and 39 walks in innings. He became a free agent following the season.

SSG Landers (2022–present) On March 7, 2022, Kim signed a 4-year, $12.3M contract with the SSG Landers, returning to the KBO. His contract was the most valuable in the history of the league.

On June 1, 2023, South Korea baseball began an investigation of Kim and two other WBC pitchers (Lee Yong-chan and Jeong Cheol-won) for violating behavioral codes. The violation was a result of the three pitchers boozing during two nights of the tournament, and Kim was demoted to the minor leagues by SSG as a result of the investigation.

Awards and honors Awards 2008 KBO MVP 2008 Golden Glove Award (Pitcher)

Achievements 2008 Wins Title 2008 Strikeouts Title 2009 ERA Title 2009 Winning Percentage Leader 2010 Wins Title (tops out at 96 mph ) as a starter. His slider is considered above-average and usually sits around 85 mph. He also has a curveball and a forkball. When Kim was young, he struggled with his control and command. However, in 2018, he had improved his control and also his command.