KBO Rising Star: Can Hanwha Eagles’ Heo In-seo Win Rookie of the Year in 2026?

Daniel Kim 2026.05.11 Views

Translation result

[MyDaily = Daejeon reporter Lee Jung-won] It’s still early in the season. The job isn’t done until the final out.

Keep an eye on Heo In-seo of the Hanwha Eagles.

On May 10 at Hanwha Life Ballpark in Daejeon, Heo started as the No. 6 hitter and catcher in Hanwha’s sixth game of the 2026 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League series against the LG Twins. He collected three hits — including a homer — drove in one and scored twice, helping the Eagles to a 9-3 victory.

He’s been scorching hot in May, recording a hit in every game this month. Over eight games he has 12 hits, five home runs, 14 RBIs, 12 runs and is hitting .500. He posted back-to-back three-hit games on May 9 and 10, and four of his eight May appearances have been multi-hit games. Heo shares the monthly lead in homers, leads in RBIs and sits second in batting average for May. For the season he’s at 21 hits, seven homers, 21 RBIs, 19 runs and a .300 average in 29 games.

Talk has started about him as a strong Rookie of the Year candidate. KBO rookie eligibility requires a player to have joined the league within the past five years and to have 60 or fewer career plate appearances as a batter. Heo had 49 career plate appearances through last season and is in his fifth year, so he still qualifies. If he wins, he would be the fifth Hanwha player to take the award, joining Lee Jung-hoon (1987), Kim Tae-kyun (2001), Ryu Hyun-jin (2006) and Moon Dong-joo (2023).

After the game on the 10th, Heo said he knows he meets the eligibility requirements but that it’s too early to focus on awards. \”It’s still May and there’s a lot of season left. I need to keep playing well through the end, so I’m not thinking about that now,\” he said.

He added that he’s concentrating on timing rather than trying to chase a hot streak. \”My timing has been right lately, so the results have followed. I wouldn’t say I’ve grown a lot since first joining the first team, but I’m less nervous now. That lets me play with more confidence,\” he said.

What stood out most in the May 10 game wasn’t just his hitting but his pitch-calling. He and Park Jun-young, a former development player who made his first-team debut that day, combined to work five scoreless innings. Heo also showed good chemistry with the relievers who followed.

\”Jun-young has always had good stuff. I told him to do what he does. His pitches had good life and his command was steady. Because he hit the spots I wanted, it was easier to attack,\” Heo said. \”In the first inning, with one out and runners on second and third, I told him to be confident — he shut it down, which was great,\” he added with a smile.

Heo appeared in eight games in 2022 and 20 games in 2025. He’s moved beyond prospect status and is steadily establishing himself as Hanwha’s everyday starting catcher.

허인서의

\”Starting can be hectic,\” Heo laughed, \”but I focus on the routines I prepared before the game, so it doesn’t feel like a heavy burden. I still wouldn’t say I’ve grown massively, but I’m less tense, and that helps me play with more confidence,\” he emphasized.