Choi Ji-hoon bunts with the bases loaded in the eighth inning of the baseball super round match between South Korea and Japan at the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games at the Shaoxing Baseball Sports and Cultural Center near Hangzhou, China, on Oct. 5.

Choi Ji-hoon of South Korea celebrates with his teammates after hitting a home run with two outs and runners on second and third in the second inning during the baseball super round baseball game between South Korea and Thailand at the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games Group B at the Shaoxing Baseball Sports and Culture Center near Hangzhou, China, on Wednesday.

For the third time this year, outfielder Choi Ji-hoon (26-SSG Landers) is looking to redeem himself in Japan.

Choi stepped onto Japanese soil on October 14 after being named to the Asian Professional Baseball Championship (APBC) 2023 squad, which will begin in Japan on October 16.

The 26-man squad, including Choi, checked into a hotel in Tokyo on Thursday and will begin official training at the Tokyo Dome on Friday, with the first game against Australia on Saturday.

Choi, who just completed his fourth professional season, has become an integral part of the national team this year.

He was a supporting player at the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) in March until he was called up to fill in for major leaguer Choi Ji-Man (San Diego) when he couldn't make it to the tournament, but he was a mainstay at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games in September and helped Korea win a gold medal.

With his ability to get on base in the top of the order and his wide-ranging defense that utilizes his quick feet, Choi has been on the national team's radar ever since.

As a result, they were selected to the APBC National Team. Only ace Won Tae-in (Samsung), current captain Kim Hye-sung (Kiwoom), and Choi Ji-hoon have participated in all three international tournaments this year. Choi is the only wild card in the squad.

Choi, who was one of the youngest members of the national team at the WBC, became a senior player at the Asian Games and will be one of the oldest players at the APBC. It's quite a meteoric rise.

When we met at Haneda Airport on the day of the Games, Choi said, "I was selected because they took a good look at me even though I hadn't done anything. I'm the oldest, but the captain, Kim Hye-sung, has more experience in the national team," he said. "The captain is doing a good job, so it's important for me to do my job well first."

"There's a bit of an age gap between me and my siblings, but I don't think I'm the oldest," he said, "I'm just trying to be comfortable with my brother and sister as the same player. I don't have anything special to say to my younger brothers because I'm the senior," he said.

The tournament is a kind of friendly exchange between four teams from Korea, Japan, Australia, and Taiwan. Coach Ryu Jung-il has said that while results are important, his focus is on the development of young players. But for the players, it's hard not to think about the results.

Choi Ji-hoon, in particular, is especially motivated for this tournament after packing his bags after a disappointing performance at the Tokyo Dome during the WBC earlier this year.

He said, "I don't think there is any international tournament where performance is not important. It's important to do our best and perform well this time," he said. "The other teams are strong, but I don't think our players are under much pressure. We will utilize this atmosphere and return home with a good result."



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