Hanwha's Kang Baek-ho named KBO's May MVP for first time

Kang Baek-ho of the Hanwha Eagles has been selected as the Most Valuable Player for May in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League, earning his first career monthly award. The announcement came on June 8.

Kang secured the honor by a significant margin, garnering 54.29 points based on a combination of media and fan voting. He received 22 out of 35 possible votes from reporters (62.9%) and 207,232 out of 453,247 fan votes (45.7%). He outpaced Kia Tigers pitcher Hwang Dong-ha, who finished second with 17 points from 6 reporter votes and 76,373 fan votes.

Throughout May, Kang showcased exceptional offensive performance. In 23 games, he recorded a batting average of .424, with 39 hits, 8 home runs, 30 runs batted in (RBIs), and 21 runs scored. His on-base percentage was .495, and his slugging percentage stood at an impressive .783.

This marks a significant milestone for Kang, as it is his first monthly MVP award since his professional debut. He is also the first Hanwha batter to receive this accolade in nearly three years, following Noh Si-hwan in July 2023. Kang Baek-ho will receive a 3 million won prize and a trophy. Additionally, a donation of 2 million won will be made to his alma mater, Seoul Isu Middle School, in his name, sponsored by Shinhan Bank.