View source for Kang Min-ho

{{short description|South Korean baseball player}}
{{One source|date=June 2024}}
{{family name hatnote|Kang||lang=Korean}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Kang Min-ho
|image=Minho Kang.jpg
|image_size=250
|caption=
|position=Catcher
|team=Samsung Lions
|number=47
|bats=Right
|throws=Right
|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1985|8|18}}
|debutleague=[[Korea Baseball Organization|KBO]]
|debutyear=2004
|debutdate=September 19
|debutteam=[[Lotte Giants]]
|statyear=June 6, 2024
|statleague=KBO
|stat1label=[[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]
|stat1value=.276
|stat2label=[[Home run]]s
|stat2value=322
|stat3label=[[Run batted in|Runs batted in]]
|stat3value=1,187
|teams=
*[[Lotte Giants]] ([[2004 in baseball|2004]]–[[2017 in baseball|2017]])
*[[Samsung Lions]] ([[2018 in baseball|2018]]–present)
| highlights =
* 6× [[KBO League Golden Glove Award|KBO Golden Glove Award]] (2008, 2011–2013, 2017, 2021)
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport | Men's [[baseball]]}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Baseball at the Summer Olympics|Olympics]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2008 Summer Olympics|2008 Beijing]]|[[Baseball at the 2008 Summer Olympics|Team]]}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[World Baseball Classic]]}}
{{MedalSilver| [[2009 World Baseball Classic|2009 Los Angeles]] | Team }}
{{MedalCompetition | [[2015 WBSC Premier12]]}}
{{MedalGold| [[2015 WBSC Premier12|2015 Tokyo]] | Team }}
}}
{{Infobox Korean name
| hangul  = 강민호
| hanja   = {{linktext|姜|珉|鎬}}
| rr      = Gang Minho
| mr      = Kang Minho
}}

'''Kang Min-ho''' ({{Korean|hangul=강민호}}; born August 18, 1985) is a South Korean [[catcher]] who plays for the [[Samsung Lions]] in the [[Korea Baseball Organization]]. He previously played with the [[Lotte Giants]]. At the conclusion of the 2017 season, he left the Giants to join the Samsung Lions.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=[오피셜] 삼성, 대표팀 포수 강민호와 4년 80억 FA 계약|url=https://sports.news.naver.com/news.nhn?oid=109&aid=0003665954|website=sports.news.naver.com|language=ko|access-date=2020-05-28}}</ref>

== Amateur career ==
Kang attended Pocheol Technical High School in [[Pohang]]. In 2003, he was selected for the South Korea national junior team and competed in the 5th Asian Junior Baseball Championship held in [[Bangkok]], [[Thailand]]. As a starting catcher, Kang helped South Korea win their second Championship title.

=== Notable international appearances ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Venue
!Competition
!Team
!Individual Note
|-
|2003
|{{Bb|THA}}
|Asian Junior Baseball Championship
|style="text-align:center"|[[Image:Gold medal icon.svg]]
|
|}

== Professional career ==
=== Lotte Giants ===
After graduation from high school, Kang made his pro debut in 2004, drafted by the [[Lotte Giants]] in the 2nd round  (3rd pick, 17th overall) of the 2004 [[Korea Baseball Organization|KBO]] draft.

In the 2006 KBO season, he became a starting catcher, appearing in all 126 regular season games. Kang was the youngest starting catcher to play all regular season games in the KBO history.

Kang offensively broke out in the 2008 season. He finished 19th in [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]] (.292), 5th in [[home runs]] (19) and 6th in [[Run batted in|RBI]] (82), and led the Giants to their first post-season appearance since 2000. He won his first Golden Glove Award. Kang was the first catcher of all time to win a Golden Glove Award as a Giants catcher.

=== Samsung Lions ===
At the end of the 2017 season, Kang signed a contract to join the [[Samsung Lions]]. The four-year contract was valued at [[South Korean won|₩]]8 billion  (~US$7.3 million).<ref name=":0" />

== International career ==
Kang participated in the [[2008 Olympic Games]] held in [[Beijing]], China, selected for the [[South Korea national baseball team]], where he served as backup to [[Jin Kab-Yong]]. However, Jin was injured during a game against the [[Netherlands national baseball team|Netherlands]], and Kang took over as the starting catcher at the next game. He did a successful job for replacing an injured [[Jin Kab-Yong]] during the rest of the competition and eventually leading South Korea to the gold medal.

=== Notable international appearances ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Venue
!Competition
!Team
!Individual Note
|-
|2006
|{{fb|QAT}}
|[[Asian Games]]
|style="text-align:center"|[[Image:Bronze medal icon.svg]]
|.167 BA (2-for-12)
|-
|2008
|{{Bb|CHN}}
|[[Baseball at the 2008 Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]
|style="text-align:center"|[[Image:Gold medal icon.svg]]
|.273 BA (6-for-22)
|-
|2009
|{{Bb|USA}}
|[[2009 World Baseball Classic|World Baseball Classic]]
|style="text-align:center"|[[Image:Silver medal icon.svg]]
|.000 BA (0-for-4)
|-
|{{baseball year|2010}}
|{{Bb|CHN}}
|[[16th Asian Games|Guangzhou Asian Games]]
|style="text-align:center"| [[Image:Gold medal icon.svg]]
|
|-
|{{baseball year|2014}}
|{{Bb|KOR}}
|[[17th Asian Games|Incheon Asian Games]]
|style="text-align:center"| [[Image:Gold medal icon.svg]]
|
|}

== Awards and honors ==
*2008 [[KBO League Golden Glove Award|KBO Golden Glove Award]] (Catcher)
*2011 KBO Golden Glove Award (Catcher)
*2012 KBO Golden Glove Award (Catcher)
*2013 KBO Golden Glove Award (Catcher)
*2017 KBO Golden Glove Award (Catcher)

== References ==
<references />

== External links ==
* [http://www.koreabaseball.com/Record/Player/HitterDetail/Total.aspx?playerId=74540 Profile and stats on the KBO official website]

{{Samsung Lions roster navbox}}
{{South Korea baseball roster 2008 Summer Olympics}}
{{South Korea roster 2009 World Baseball Classic}}
{{South Korea roster 2013 World Baseball Classic}}
{{South Korea roster 2015 WBSC Premier 12}}
{{South Korea baseball roster 2020 Summer Olympics}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kang, Min-ho}}
[[Category:1985 births]]
[[Category:2009 World Baseball Classic players]]
[[Category:2013 World Baseball Classic players]]
[[Category:2015 WBSC Premier12 players]]
[[Category:Asian Games gold medalists in baseball]]
[[Category:Asian Games bronze medalists in baseball]]
[[Category:Asian Games baseball players for South Korea]]
[[Category:Baseball players at the 2006 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Baseball players at the 2008 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Baseball players at the 2010 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Baseball players at the 2014 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Baseball players at the 2020 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:KBO League catchers]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Lotte Giants players]]
[[Category:Samsung Lions players]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2006 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2010 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2014 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Olympic medalists in baseball]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for South Korea]]
[[Category:Olympic baseball players for South Korea]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Jeju Province]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Busan]]
[[Category:Asian Games gold medalists for South Korea]]
[[Category:Asian Games bronze medalists for South Korea]]
[[Category:World Baseball Classic players of South Korea]]