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Sophomore pitcher nabs KBO's top player award for June

By Yonhap

Published : July 8, 2021 - 14:11

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In this file photo from June 11, 2021, So Hyeong-jun of the KT Wiz pitches against the Hanwha Eagles in the top of the first inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at KT Wiz Park in Suwon, 45 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap) In this file photo from June 11, 2021, So Hyeong-jun of the KT Wiz pitches against the Hanwha Eagles in the top of the first inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at KT Wiz Park in Suwon, 45 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
KT Wiz's second-year starter So Hyeong-jun has been named the best player in South Korean baseball for the month of June.

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) said So, the 2020 Rookie of the Year, won the vote by media and fans to earn the Player of the Month honor for June.

So earned 11 out of 32 votes cast by media and then earned 121,857 out of 258,241 votes from fans. He scored 40.78 in the converted voting points, edging out NC Dinos catcher Yang Eui-ji (20.86 points).

So went 2-0 in four June starts with a 0.75 ERA, the lowest in the KBO last month, as he helped the Wiz surge to first place with a 16-7 mark in June.

The right-hander got off to a dismal start to his sophomore campaign and had a 5.82 ERA through his first eight starts at the end of May.

But he turned into a different pitcher in June, giving up just two earned runs in 24 innings while striking out 19.

He was also the top player for August last year. (Yonhap)