With the upcoming rookie draft slowly drawing attention, who will the KIA Tigers pick in the first round? KIA, which will be nominated for the 6th overall pick under the evaluation that there are many good pitching prospects, is highly likely to select a right-handed fireballer with good physique.
The 2024 KBO draft will be held on September 14th. Now, with just over a month left, there has been a movement of great change over the first round of nominations.안전놀이터
First of all, Masan Yongma High School pitcher Jang Hyun-seok, who was a strong candidate for the first place, announced his intention to challenge the American stage. Recently, a contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers was officially announced.
As Jang Hyun-seok’s name disappeared from the first round of the KBO rookie draft, it was reorganized into the ‘TOP 2’ system of Jangchung High School pitcher Hwang Jun-seo and Incheon High School Kim Taek-yeon. Hwang Joon-seo, the best left-handed player with a 150km/h fastball, and Kim Taek-yeon, who showed their true value at the recent Presidential Cup National High School Baseball Championship, virtually disappeared from the possibility of being pushed down to the third place overall.
From the overall 3rd place, it is the trend of the Spring and Autumn Warring States period. First of all, Gyeongbuk High School pitcher Jeon Mir, Gangneung High School pitcher Cho Dae-hyeon, Whimoon High School pitcher Kim Hwi-gun, and Jangchung High School pitcher Yuk Seon-yeop are prospective right-handed fireballers who are expected to enter the next selection list.
Jeon Mi-re, who won the MVP of the Blue Dragon National High School Baseball Championship, is also a player whose evaluation has risen the most recently. Jeon Mi-reu showed off his two-sword style by digesting both pitches and strokes.
Mir Jeon recorded a batting average of 0.338 / 26 hits / 3 homers / 31 RBIs / on-base percentage of 0.513 / slugging percentage of 0.519 as a batter in this year’s official competition. In 17 appearances as a pitcher, he went 4-1 with a 1.48 ERA, 48 strikeouts, and 20 strikeouts with a WHIP of 0.87.
Recently, there is an atmosphere in which people are predicting that Jeon Mir has a greater potential for growth as a fielder than as a pitcher. The Lotte Giants, who are making good use of Kim Min-seok, a beast resource last year, in the first round, are highly likely to keep a close eye on Jeon Mir this year.
Of course, KIA has to watch the nominations of Lotte, Samsung Lions, and NC Dinos and choose a first-round nominee. Currently, there is a strong possibility that the remaining players, including Mir Jeon, Cho Dae-hyeon, Kim Hwi-gun, and Yuk Seon-yeop, will be selected after the clubs nominated them earlier.
Cho Dae-hyun, who worked as both a pitcher and a hitter like Jeon Mi-re, revealed himself that he would focus more on pitching in the future. Cho Dae-hyun took the mound in 18 official competitions this year and recorded 7 wins, undefeated average ERA of 1.29, 76 strikeouts, 27 strikeouts, and a WHIP of 0.83. It was regrettable that the phenomenon of physical decline recently came from the digestion of the dual swords compared to the beginning of this year.
Kim Hwi-gun took the mound in 9 official competitions this year and recorded an average ERA of 2-3 with a 2.12 ERA, 48 strikeouts and 21 strikeouts, and a WHIP of 1.00. In the case of Kim Hwi-gun, the order of nomination can be determined by how clubs view the chronic insecurity problem. He also showed relatively stable control in the President’s Cup, which he recently started.
Yuk Seon-yeop pitched in 12 games this year and recorded 2 wins, an undefeated ERA of 0.41, 33 strikeouts and 9 walks, a WHIP of 1.05. It was regrettable that he could not show more appearances due to the team’s early elimination from the national championship and an injury to the batting ball during the assault.
KIA is expected to watch the first-round nominations on the day of the rookie draft while closely observing the preceding candidates. Last year, in the process of bringing in catcher Joo Hyo-sang, the second round nomination was given to Kiwoom Heroes, so the first round nomination result became more important.
A KIA official said, “Since there is no nomination right for the second round this year, the name of the prospective pitcher to be selected in the first round has become more important. We must first look at the selection of the clubs in front of us. Now that the training system for the 2nd team in Hampyeong is well established, I am confident that the players who came to our team will grow well. This year, there are many good pitching resources, so we plan to think about pitchers in the third round nomination as well.”
Who will be the promising pitcher that KIA, which does not have the right to pick in the second round, will bring in the first round that it will anxiously watch this year? The picture of Won-seok, who can throw a 150km/h fastball, enrolling in the ‘Hampyeong Seungrak School’ and growing up is also expected to be a pleasant imagination for KIA fans.