Kang Baek-ho

{{distinguish|text=the singer Baekho, who too has the surname Kang}}

{{Infobox baseball biography

| name = Kang Baek-ho

| image = Kang Baek-Ho 2019 Premier 12.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Baek-ho in 2019

| team = KT Wiz

| number = 50

| position = First baseman / Outfielder

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1999|7|29}}

| birth_place = Incheon, South Korea

| death_date =

| death_place =

| bats = Left

| throws = Right

| debutleague = KBO

| debutdate = March 24

| debutyear = 2018

| debutteam = KT Wiz

| finaldate =

| finalyear =

| finalteam =

| statleague = KBO

| statyear = June 1, 2024

| stat1label = Batting average

| stat1value = .312

| stat2label = Home runs

| stat2value = 111

| stat3label = Runs batted in

| stat3value = 460

| teams =

KT Wiz ({{kboy|2018}}–present)

| highlights =

Korean Series (2021)
KBO Rookie of the Year (2018)
3x KBO All-Star (2018–2020)
2× KBO Golden Glove Award (2020–2021)

|medaltemplates=

{{MedalCountry | {{bb|KOR}}}}

}}

{{Infobox Korean name

|hangul=강백호

|hanja={{linktext|姜|白|虎}}

|rr=Gang Baek-ho

|mr=Kang Paek-ho

}}

Kang Baek-ho ({{Korean|강백호}}; born July 29, 1999) is a South Korean professional baseball first baseman and outfielder for the KT Wiz of the KBO League.

Amateur career

Kang began playing baseball in elementary school but had to move between schools several times as a youth due to "a family issue" which he told Ilgan Sports was "hard to talk about."{{cite news |last1=Hee-Soo |first1=An |title=Kang Baek-ho reflects on his sophomore season |url=https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2019/09/20/Baseball/Kang-Baekho-reflects-on-his-sophomore-season/3068155.html |access-date=20 July 2021 |work=Korea JoongAng Daily |date=September 20, 2019 |language=en}}

Kang played high school baseball as a pitcher, catcher and designated hitter at Seoul High School where, as a freshman, he was the first player to hit a home run at Gocheok Sky Dome. In 2017, he led Seoul to a high school baseball championship and was named the most valuable player of the tournament. Kang's accomplishments as a high schooler brought him significant media attention. After high school, Kang decided to enter the KBO against the wishes of his father who wanted him to try for "a bigger stage."

Professional career

Kang was selected with the first overall pick in the 2017 KBO draft by the KT Wiz. He made his KBO debut at 18 years old and hit a home run against Héctor Noesí in the first plate appearance of his career.{{cite news |title=1st overall draft pick hits 1st home run of 2018 KBO season |url=http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20180324000083 |access-date=20 July 2021 |work=The Korea Herald |agency=Yonhap News Agency |date=24 March 2018 |language=en}} As a professional, he stopped pitching and catching and transitioned to the field. Kang set the rookie record with 29 home runs en route to winning the KBO League Rookie of the Year Award.{{Cite web|url=https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20190208007800315|title = Former two-way baseball player abandons pitching dreams after one bullpen session|date = 8 February 2019}} He pitched in the 2018 KBO All-Star Game and reached speeds of {{convert|150|kph|mph|1}}. Following the season, his salary was more than tripled to ₩120 million (equivalent to ${{Formatnum:{{To USD|120000000|KOR|year=2019|round=yes}}}} in 2019), setting a record for a sophomore player.{{cite news |last1=Kim |first1=Hyo-Kyung |title=Kang Baek-ho becomes best-paid sophomore |url=https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2019/01/14/Baseball/Kang-Baekho-becomes-bestpaid-sophomore/3058130.html |access-date=19 July 2021 |work=Korea JoongAng Daily |date=January 14, 2019 |language=en}}

In June 2019, Kang underwent surgery on his hand after cutting it on a piece of metal while making a catch in foul territory at Busan Sajik Baseball Stadium.{{cite news |title=(2nd LD) All-Star outfielder has surgery on right hand after incident at road stadium |url=https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20190626002652315 |access-date=19 July 2021 |work=Yonhap News Agency |date=26 June 2019 |language=en}} He sat out for the entire month of July due to the injury but was voted a starter on the all-star team nonetheless.{{cite news |title=Romak tops KBO All-Star vote |url=https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2019/07/08/Baseball/Romak-tops-KBO-AllStar-vote/3065237.html |access-date=20 July 2021 |work=Korea JoongAng Daily |agency=Yonhap News Agency |date=July 8, 2019 |language=en}}

Kang missed three weeks of the 2020 season after hurting his wrist while sliding on defense.{{cite news |last1=Hee-Soo |first1=Ahn |last2=Ji-Eun |first2=Seo |title=KT Wiz slugger Kang Baek-ho has been hitting the weights |url=https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2021/03/03/sports/Baseball/Kang-Baekho-KBO-KT-Wiz/20210303185500411.html |access-date=19 July 2021 |work=Korea JoongAng Daily |date=March 3, 2021 |language=en}} Fans voted Kang to the all-star team again in 2020 although the game did not take place due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite news |last1=Jee-ho |first1=Yoo |title=Lotte Giants' shortstop Machado tops KBO All-Star fan voting |url=https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20200907004351315 |access-date=20 July 2021 |work=Yonhap News Agency |date=7 September 2020 |language=en}}

At the halfway point of the 2021 season, Kang had a batting average of .395 which led the league by 47 points.{{cite news |title=Youngest franchise on top as 1st half of KBO season comes to abrupt halt |url=http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20210713000310 |access-date=19 July 2021 |work=The Korea Herald |agency=Yonhap News Agency |date=13 July 2021 |language=en}} He reached base in eight consecutive plate appearances in Games 1 and 2 of the 2021 Korean Series, tying a Korean Series record.{{cite web|url=https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20211115009000315 |title=With hot bats, airtight defense, Wiz take 2-0 Korean Series lead over Bears | Yonhap News Agency |publisher=Yonhap News Agency |date= 15 November 2021|accessdate=November 16, 2021}}

International career

Kang represented South Korea at the 2017 U-18 Baseball World Cup where he pitched and played the field. He won a silver medal and was named to the All-World Team.{{cite news |title=U-18 Baseball World Cup 2017 standout Baek-ho Kang wins 2018 KBO Rookie of the Year |url=https://www.wbsc.org/en/news/u-18-baseball-world-cup-2017-standout-baek-ho-kang-wins-2018-kbo-rookie-of-the-year |access-date=19 July 2021 |work=wbsc.org |publisher=World Baseball Softball Confederation |date=November 19, 2018 |language=en}}

In 2019, he represented South Korea in the Premier12 and played well.{{Cite web|last=News)|first=경기일보(Kyeonggi Daily|date=2019-10-02|title=김광현·강백호, 프리미어12 '김경문호' 승선…드림팀 출범|url=http://www.kyeonggi.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=2173135|access-date=2020-06-18|website=경기일보|language=ko}}

He was named to the South Korean roster for the 2020 Summer Olympics.{{cite news |title=Defending Olympic baseball champ Korea announces Tokyo 2020 roster, includes eight rookies |url=https://www.wbsc.org/news/defending-olympic-baseball-champ-korea-announces-tokyo-2020-roster-includes-eight-rookies |access-date=19 July 2021 |work=wbsc.org |publisher=World Baseball Softball Confederation |date=June 16, 2021 |language=en}}

Kim won a gold medal at the 2022 Asian Games for South Korea, appearing in six baseball contests, and batting .273/.409/.333 in 22 at-bats.{{cite news |title=KANG Baekho |url=https://www.wbscasia.org/en/events/xix-asian-games-2022-mens-baseball/teams/27948/players/338395 |access-date=4 February 2024 |publisher=World Baseball Softball Confederation Asia}}