Hwang Jae-gyun wins Barney Nugent Award
The San Francisco Giants’ Hwang Jae-gyun has won the 2017 Barney Nugent Award, an encouraging sign for his big league career in the United States.
The award commemorates the Giants’ former athletic trainer Nugent who worked with the club from 1993 to 2003. The award was previously known as the Harry K. Jordan award when it was introduced in 1988. It is given to “the player in his first big league camp whose performance and dedication in spring training best exemplifies the San Francisco Giants’ spirit, much like Nugent did in his time with the club.”
Hwang, 29, was elected by his peers and coaches. Previous winners of the Nugent Award include Russ Ortiz (1998), Tim Lincecum (2007) and Trevor Brown (2016). Of 30 former Nugent Award winners, 25 made their Major League debuts.
During spring training, Hwang batted .308, with four home runs and 11 RBIs in 22 games. He singled to center field in the ninth inning with the bases loaded on Sunday (Seoul time) in a game against the San Diego Padres, ending a 7-7 tie. The Giants won the game 8-7.
He proved his ability in spring training to hit high-velocity fastballs that troubled several Korean hitters trying to adjust in their early years in the Major Leagues.
As the Major League opening games slated for April 1 are approaching, speculations about whether Hwang can make the opening roster or not have mushroomed. According to Mercury News, the Giants are planning to send him to the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats to help him gain a deeper evaluation of his skills.
“The Giants are full at third base, with Conor Gillaspie and Aaron Hill as fallback options in case Eduardo Nunez’s sore shoulder is not ready by opening day,” the media outlet reported.
It quoted Hwang as saying he would be willing to hone his skills further in the Pacific Coast League without exercising his right to opt out that was guaranteed in his contract with the Giants. The six-time All Star in the Korean Baseball Organization signed a minor league contract with the Giants earlier this year.