Will the era of ‘Pure Rookie King’ once again open?
In 2022, the rookie of the year went to Jeong Cheol-won (24, Doosan Bears). After joining Doosan in 2018, he stepped on the first team stage for the first time in 5 years and recorded an average ERA of 3.10 with 4 wins, 3 losses, 3 saves and 23 holds in 58 games. In 2007, Tae-hoon Lim (Doosan) broke the record for the most holds (20 holds) in his debut season and won the Rookie of the Year title.
The five years prior to Jeong Cheol-won were the era of the ‘pure rookie king’. Starting with Lee Jung-hoo (Kiwoom) in 2017, Kang Baek-ho (KT) Jung Woo-young (LG) So-Jun So-Jun (KT) Lee Eui-Ri (KIA) enjoyed the honor of catching the Rookie of the Year at the same time they joined. 메이저사이트
The 2023 rookie draft had more ‘big fish’ than ever before. Shim Jun-seok (Pittsburgh), who throws a 160km fastball, challenged the major leagues, but pitchers such as Kim Seo-hyeon (Hanwha) and Yun Young-chul (KIA), who were evaluated for their “immediate sense of power” early on, received high nominations and wore professional uniforms.
All of them were named to the spring camp roster. Kim Seo-hyun, who was nominated by Hanwha as the 1st overall pick, leaves for the 1st team camp with infielder Moon Hyun-bin, who joined in the 2nd round (11th overall). In a recent interview, Kim Seo-hyun threw a bold pro-choice vote, saying, “I want to make 50 saves.”
Following Kim Seo-hyun, KIA Yoon Young-cheol, whose name was called, was also listed on the first team camp list. After the nomination, the KIA club gave Yoon Young-chul a ‘special order’ that prevented him from touching the ball. In high school, he threw a lot of pitches and ensured plenty of rest.
For the Doosan Bears, led by head coach Lee Seung-yeop, catcher Jun-ho Yoon will take a flight to Sydney, Australia, where the spring camp will be held. He is the only Doosan rookie. Lee, who took over the leadership of Doosan after the end of last season, included 22 pitchers in the spring camp. He meant to see as many players as possible. Director Lee said, “As many pitchers went, we needed a lot of catchers.” Regarding the relationship that he first ate together with Yoon Jun-ho in the entertainment program ‘Strongest Baseball’, he drew a line saying, “It has nothing to do with it at all.”
SSG Landers, who won the combined championship last year, included four rookies. Pitchers Lee Rowun and Song Youngjin, infielder Kim Minjun, and outfielder Kim Jungmin were named.
Kiwoom dualized spring camp. In Arizona, USA, the focus is on technical training, and in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, the focus is on actual combat. In the US camp, pitcher and infielder Kim Kun-hee and outfielder Song Jae-seon will join, and in Taiwan, infielder Lee Seung-won, Seung-won Lee, Ho-yeol Lee, and Seo Yu-shin, catcher Park Seong-bin, and Byun Hun-seong will participate. As both the US and Taiwan have first-class players, it is expected to be another motivation for newcomers.
The Samsung Lions conduct both the 1st and 2nd group camps in Okinawa, Japan. All rookies will participate in the 2nd group camp.
In the KT Wiz, coach Lee Kang-cheol leads the WBC team at the same time, and pitcher Kim Jeong-woon and outfielder Jung Joon-young are included in the Arizona camp roster. In the NC Dinos, pitchers Shin Young-woo and Lee Jun-ho train with first-team players, and LG, who is starting off as ‘Yeom Gyeong-yeop-ho’, is the only sidearm pitcher Park Myeong-geun, who was selected in the third round, to be named.
