There is a lot of interest in the United States for Masan Yongmago’s Jang Hyun-seok (19), who signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
MLB.com reported on the 11th (KST) that “Jang could be in the top 30 of the Dodgers’ prospect rankings. It’s more likely to be in the low-to-mid 20s.”
Jang’s management company, Ricoh Sports Agency, officially announced on the 9th that “Jang Hyun-seok of Masan Yongma High School signed a contract with the Dodgers on the 8th with a down payment of $900,000 (approximately 1.18 billion won).”
Jang Hyun-seok, who was dubbed the “biggest name in high school,” was almost certain to be the No. 1 pick if he entered this year’s KBO Draft. However, he chose the American challenge.
Jang made a name for himself as a fireballer. At this year’s high school baseball championships, he threw a fastball up to 157 kilometers. In the recent Cheongnyonggi, he showed off his changeups, including a sweeper and a slider, and proved that he has the stamina to pitch into the ninth inning.
This has attracted scouts from all 10 KBO clubs as well as Major League Baseball to watch him play. Knowing the interest in him, Jang weighed the options between the KBO and the major leagues. In the end, he decided to try his luck in the United States.
“I apologize for making many people wait while I was deciding where to live. It was very difficult for me to decide because both the KBO and the major leagues were my dreams, but I wanted to challenge myself on the world’s best stage, so I finally made up my mind to go to the major leagues,” he said, explaining why he chose to play in the big leagues. “It’s an honor to join such a prestigious organization. I promise to work hard and become a better player for the Dodgers.”카지노사이트
After Jang’s move to the Dodgers was officially announced, there was a lot of interest in the United States.
This time, MLB.com, the official website of Major League Baseball, also highlighted Jang. ”The 19-year-old has yet to play professionally, but scouts rave about the potential he brings to the table,” the outlet wrote, “Already standing at 6-foot-3 (190 centimeters), his four-seam fastball has reached 97 mph. In addition to his high-90s fastball, he has a slider, curve, changeup and sweeper. In seven appearances for Masan Yongmago, he struck out 49 batters in 27 1/3 innings, posting three wins and a 0.33 ERA.”
They were especially interested in his selection to the Hangzhou Asian Games team. Jang was the only amateur player from high school and college to make the Hangzhou Asian Games team. If his top performance earns him an “exemption from military service,” a solid path will open up in front of him. “Jang Hyun-seok will gain valuable experience in September. He is the youngest player on the Korean roster.”
The Dodgers went to great lengths to acquire Jang Hyun-seok. The Dodgers, along with the Texas Rangers, had the smallest bonus pool of all 30 major league clubs for signing international amateurs – $4.14 million – and had spent $4.1 million earlier this year signing amateurs including Yoendry Vargas ($2.08 million) and Arnaldo Lantigua ($700,000).
The Dodgers, who didn’t have the money to invest in Jang, received a dash bonus pool to trade two prospects, Aldrin Batista and Maximo Martinez, to the Chicago White Sox. They invested in Jang Hyun-seok, which means they have high hopes for him.
It’s unlikely that Jang will make it to the major leagues right away. The question is, how soon will he be on the mound at Dodger Stadium?
“It remains to be seen where Jang will start his professional career,” MLB.com said.