One more gap with Lee Seung-yeop, the most awarded coach

Yang Eui-ji (36) of the Doosan Bears, "Ahn Bang-ma'am," is one step closer to winning the most Golden Glove awards given to the best player in each professional baseball position.

Yang Eui-ji was selected as the winner of the catcher category at the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League Golden Glove Awards held at COEX Auditorium in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul on the 11th.

Yang Eui-ji received 214 votes (73.5%) out of 291 valid votes, beating LG Twins' Park Dong-won (63 votes, 21.6%).

Yang Eui-ji, who received the Golden Glove every year from 2014 to 2016 and again from 2018 to 2022, enjoyed the joy of winning his ninth career award.

As a result, he ranked second in the record for the most wins in his career, just one shy of Doosan manager Lee Seung-yeop's record for the most wins in the KBO league (10 times).

In addition, Yang Eui-ji beat Seoul High School coach Kim Dong-soo to set a new record for the Golden Glove catcher category and set the record for the oldest catcher (36 years, 6 months and 6 days).

Previously, Kang Min-ho (Samsung Lions), who received the Golden Glove in the 2021 season at the age of 36 years, 3 months, and 22 days, had the record of being the oldest catcher.

Yang Eui-ji, who won the award for the sixth consecutive year, also ranked second in this category along with Han Dae-hwa, former coach of the Hanwha Eagles. At the top is Lee Seung-yeop, who won the award for the seventh consecutive year.

Yang Eui-ji received the Golden Glove eight times as a catcher and once as a designated hitter (2021).

Although he failed to break the highest-ever vote share (99.4% and 340 out of 342 valid votes) he wrote for the NC Dinos in 2020, he beat his competitors again this year with a high percentage of votes.

Yang Eui-ji said, "We will prepare better so that director Lee Seung-yeop can cheer more next season."

Yang Eui-ji, who returned to his former team Doosan this year, played 129 games and led the lineup with a batting average of 0.305, 17 home runs and 68 RBIs, and his steal blocking rate ranked first among the seven catchers who were nominated (0.378).

In the pitcher category, NC foreign pitcher Eric Peddy, who won 20 wins, 6 losses, 2.00 strikeouts and 209 strikeouts, won the most wins, ERA, and strikeouts.

Pedi finished 2023 with a brilliant finish by receiving the Golden Glove following the MVP of the regular league.

Pedi, who dominated the KBO League, is scheduled to play for the Chicago White Sox in the U.S. Major League Baseball (MLB) next year.

Foreign players also received the first baseman's prize. Austin Dean, the LG Twins' first Korean Series title in 29 years, won the prize.

Austin received 271 votes and 93.1 percent of the vote, earning the most Golden Glove votes this year.

Austin hit .313 with 23 home runs and 95 RBIs in 139 games this year when he joined LG, ending LG's "foreign batter brutality."

Austin, who renewed his contract with LG for an annual salary of 1.3 million dollars, will continue to play at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul next year.

Second baseman Kim Hye-sung of the Kiwoom Heroes went to Kim Hye-sung. Kim received a Golden Glove as a shortstop in 2021, a second baseman last year, and a second baseman again this year.

Kim Hye-sung also doubled his joy by receiving the 2023 Fair Play Award.

Hanwha's next big shot, Noh Si-hwan, was named the winner of the third baseman category and wore gold gloves for the first time in his life.

Noh Si-hwan topped the list in two categories with 31 home runs and 101 RBIs this year.

"I'm happy to receive my first Golden Glove," he said. "I came here to overcome Choi Jung this year, and I was able to win this award. Thank you."

With the awards of Noh Si-hwan and Yang Eui-ji, Choi Jung (8 times), the main third baseman of SSG Landers, was pushed from tied for second to third place with the most wins in his career.

LG captain Oh Ji-hwan won the shortstop category, which was considered the fiercest position, beating KIA Tigers' Park Chan-ho.

Oh Ji-hwan received 154 votes (52.9 percent) out of 291 valid votes, and Park Chan-ho received 120 votes (41.2 percent).

Oh Ji-hwan posted a batting average of 0.268, eight homers and 62 RBIs this year, while Park Chan-ho posted a batting average of 0.301, three homers and 52 RBIs.

Oh Ji-hwan vowed to "open the dynasty era by winning an integrated championship next year."

NC's Son Ah-seop, who topped the list with a batting average of 0.339 and the most hits (187), received the Golden Glove in the designated hitter category.

LG's Hong Chang-ki, Samsung's Koo Ja-wook and NC's Park Kun-woo took the outfield category.

Hong Chang-ki ranked first in on-base percentage (0.444) and runs (109 points), while Koo Ja-wook led the Samsung lineup with second-best batting average (0.336), second-best on-base percentage (0.407), and fourth-best slugging percentage (0.494).

Park Kun-woo, who finished seventh in batting average (0.319) and ninth in RBIs (85 points), won his first Golden Glove in his career.

He managed to beat SSG Guillermo Eredia (101 votes, 34.7% votes) with 139 votes (47.8% of the votes).

Park Gun-woo said, "It took a long time to get this award," and added, "I will do the rest of my baseball life for my parents who supported me."

The Golden Glove voting was conducted online from the 29th to the 1st of last month, with media officials including KBO league reporters, photographers, PDs, announcers and commentators participating.   먹튀검증

The winners of each category received a purchase right for ZETT products worth 5 million won along with Golden Gloves.