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SEOUL, December 19 (AJP) - Infielder Hwang Jae-gyun is retiring from baseball, the KT Wiz said on Friday.

In a statement released by the club, Hwang said, "Despite a good offer from the club, I decided to retire after much consideration." He added, "Thanks to the fans who always supported me enthusiastically, I was able to play for 20 years."

"It was a great honor to be selected for the national team and to compete in international sporting events such as the Olympics and Asian Games," he recalled. "I also hope to be remembered as a player who consistently performed well without major injuries."

He also expressed his gratitude to his family, coaches, teammates, and the clubs he played for.

Making his professional debut in 2007 with the now-defunct Hyundai Unicorns in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) league, Hwang played for the Kiwoom Heroes and Lotte Giants, and also had a brief stint with the San Francisco Giants in Major League Baseball in 2017. He then joined the KT Wiz in 2018 and spent the remainder of his career with the team.

He appeared in 2,200 games, posting a .285 batting average, 2,266 hits, 227 home runs, and 235 stolen bases.

KT Wiz will hold an official retirement ceremony for Hwang early next year.
Jeong Se-hee 기자 ssss308@ajunews.com

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