Brett Bateman hit a double on the first pitch he saw in his Blue Jays debut. A month later, he's a phenomenon.

He arrived in August as a little-known piece of the Kevin Gausman trade with the Cubs. Now Toronto isn't the only place paying attention.

Bateman keeps getting asked one question: will he represent Korea at the World Baseball Classic?

"We'll see how it all figures itself out, but yeah, I mean absolutely, I'd love to play in the WBC," Bateman told the Star. "Being able to represent the country would be pretty sweet."

He's hitting .333 with an .828 OPS heading into Friday's game against Texas, with 46 hits, 23 runs, and 11 RBIs across his first 34 games as Toronto's everyday leadoff man.

That surge has caught the attention of Korean communities on both sides of the Pacific.

"A lot of people having your back trying to support you, it is pretty cool," Bateman said. "There's a lot of Asians and Koreans here in Toronto. It's a great feeling."

How a Minnesota kid became a symbol for Korean fans

Longtime Blue Jays fan Anthony Yun did a double take watching him bat leadoff on TV.

"I was like, 'He kind of looks Asian,'" Yun said. "I actually Googled his name and saw that he had Korean roots."

Last Friday, Bateman hit his first career home run against Baltimore, then followed with another the next day. He'd hit only six homers in 1,373 career minor-league appearances and none in three college seasons at Minnesota.

"It's kind of shocking, it's from nowhere he showed up," said J.C. Kim, CEO and president of the Korean Baseball Association in Toronto.

Kim has watched Bateman's name grow quickly across South Korea through social media and MLB Korea.

He pointed to the precedent set when Toronto signed Hyun-Jin Ryu in 2019, when Kim's organization helped bring Korean-Canadians to Rogers Centre at discounted rates.

"He's an easy role model for young Korean-Canadian athletes playing in local leagues," Kim said.

Bateman's connection to that heritage is still developing. His mother was born in Korea and adopted at a young age, with no contact with her biological parents since.

"She hasn't been there since she was a newborn pretty much, and no one else in my family has," Bateman said. "I want to go across the country and see what it's like."

He's been tipped off about Toronto's Koreatown near Bloor Street West but hasn't had time to visit yet, consumed by the grind of the MLB schedule.

Kim already has restaurant recommendations ready and is looking forward to seeing more No. 21 jerseys around the city.

"Korean fans are willing to buy his jersey," Kim said. "Having a player with Korean descent for the hometown team carries immense, symbolic value."