By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, July 10 (Yonhap) -- Thanks to an early summer power surge, SSG Landers slugger Choi Jeong has been named the top player in South Korean baseball for June.
The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced Choi as the winner of the Player of the Month award for June on Monday. The 36-year-old led all candidates with 155,287 votes out of 400,002 from fans and 21 out of 29 votes cast by media.
Choi Jeong of the SSG Landers takes a swing against the Kia Tigers during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Incheon SSG Landers Field in Incheon, west of Seoul, on July 5, 2023, in this photo provided by the Landers. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
In June, Choi led the KBO with 11 home runs, 27 RBIs and a .787 slugging percentage in 24 games. He ranked second with 23 runs scored and fourth with a .431 on-base percentage.
Choi homered in three straight games from June 22 to 24. And on June 1 and on June 23, he homered in back-to-back plate appearances.
The Landers led all clubs with 34 homers last month, and through Sunday's action, Choi was tops in the league with 19 home runs in 73 games.
He previously won home run crowns in 2016, 2017 and 2021. Choi is also No. 2 on the all-time list with 448 home runs, 19 behind former Samsung Lions first baseman Lee Seung-yuop.
This was Choi's first monthly award since June 2019.
Choi Jeong of the SSG Landers heads to first base after getting a hit against the LG Twins during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Incheon SSG Landers Field in Incheon, west of Seoul, on June 28, 2023, in this file photo provided by the Landers. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
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