Columbia native Anthony Alford is making a strong first impression on his new team, KT Wiz of the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO). Down 3-2 in the bottom of the ninth in a July 12 matchup, Alford blasted a two-run walk-off home run — and he hit it off one of the most renowned pitchers the league has to offer.
At 27 years of age, Alford has played in 102 Major League Baseball games, most recently appearing in two games with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He signed with the Cleveland Guardians in May as a free agent but played in only eight minor league games for the organization before electing to take his talent to the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO).
In his 20th contest with his new team, Alford stepped into the batter's box to face opposing pitcher Oh Seung-hwan, an accomplished veteran closer of the KBO who pitched in stints for the St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays and Colorado Rockies. Seung-hwan is a seven-time KBO All-Star, a two-time Korean Series MVP and owns the record for most saves in the KBO. Alford admitted in a postgame interview with Sympathy Media News that he was unaware of his storied career in both leagues.
"To be honest, I didn’t know that Oh Seung-hwan was from the Major Leagues," Alford said.
Facing a 1-2 count, Alford made contact with a low fastball and pelted it over the left field fence, his fourth moon shot since joining the team, crossing home plate as the game-winning run.
"I’m just happy to make a good bat at an important moment," Alford told reporters.
So far during his time in South Korea, Alford has batted .244 for KT with four home runs, 17 RBI and a .726 slugging percentage. While he has noticed a change in pace with his overseas competition, Alford said he respects the skill level of his new opposition and is eager to continue improving his game during what he called an "adaptation period."
"Compared to the major leagues, the speed of the KBO league is slow, but the players seem to know pitching well," Alford said. "Any player who can play at this level will be able to play anywhere. It’s a bit difficult to adapt, but so far, I think I’m doing fine."
Last summer, the KT Wiz celebrated its first KBO Championship. With multiple MLB talents on the current roster, its hope is to contend for a second in 2022, with Alford playing an important role in the process.
"Alford has raw power, and he is capable of generating hard contact," the Wiz's general manager Na Do-hyun said. "He also has a great throwing arm, and he can put pressure on opposing defense with his speed on base paths."
Still recovering from a hand injury suffered in April, Alford believes he still has more to offer, both at the plate and defensively, and he hopes to put that on display soon as he continues on the road to full recovery.
"It's been less than a month since I debuted in the KBO league. There are more things I want to show after I have adjusted," Alford said. "What I've shown so far is only a fraction. I want to get to 100 percent soon and do my best to help the team win."
