SSG Landers franchise star Kim Kwang-hyun (36) will be the captain from the 2025 season.

On the 1st, Kim Kwang-hyun said on his SNS account, "I feel a lot of pressure because it's my first time. However, I will be a captain who communicates well with the coach, coach, front, junior, and fans. I will take any reprimand for the team. I will play hard to catch two birds with one stone: performance and health. Way to go Landers," signaling that he has become the new captain of SSG in the 2025 season.먹튀검증

Kim Kwang-hyun is the first pitching captain in 17 years since former coach Kim Won-hyung (52) and the first starting pitcher for the SSG team. According to an SSG official, all senior players agreed on the appointment.

Coach Lee Sung-yong recently met with senior players and talked about the 2025 season, including the captaincy. In the process, Kim Kwang-hyun was chosen as the representative of the pitcher's team. In fact, it is not common for a pitcher to be the captain of a team. In particular, it is difficult for a starting pitcher whose routine is tricky on the day of his appearance and has a big impact on victory or defeat, to serve as the captain who has to check various parts of the team. For this reason, there were not many cases where starting pitchers such as Yang Hyeon-jong (36, Kia Tigers) made the captaincy for the first time in the SSG.

Moreover, this year, Kim Kwang-hyun had his worst career season with 12 wins and 10 losses with a 4.93 ERA and 154 strikeouts in 162 ⅓ innings, despite no major injuries. He struggled with a steady decline after returning to the 2022 season, but willingly accepted the captain's position.

It was possible because Kim Kwang-hyun, who had been staying at SSG for 18 seasons since joining the team as the first draft of the KBO Rookie Draft in 2007, understood the team better than anyone else. In fact, Kim Kwang-hyun was one of the players who actively communicated with not only the players but also the coaches, coaches, and front desk. He was a player who learned and practiced how a leader should show through his seniors.

A case in point is the Okinawa mini camp, which has been steadily progressing since its return from the U.S. Every year, Kim spent his own money before the spring camp to take promising pitching players to Okinawa, Japan, to prepare for the season. Again, communication with club officials shone through. While receiving support from players he would accompany, he also talked with club trainers, Futures League staff and coaches to make the decision.

SSG quickly replaced Choo Shin-soo (42) as captain after his retirement. "I think Kim Kwang-hyun will do a good job. He is already playing a central role in his team and can say something to the manager," an SSG source told Star News.