“Scouts highly praised the potential of a 19-year-old” ‘Now Dodgers Man’ Jang Hyun-seok, focus on US local attention every day
Local interest in Masan Yongmago Jang Hyun-seok (19), who signed a contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, is high.
Major League Baseball MLB.com said on the 11th (Korean time), “Jang Hyun-seok can be in the top 30 of the Dodgers’ prospect rankings. He is likely to be in the mid-lower ranks of the top 20,” he looked at.
On the 9th, Jang Hyun-seok’s management company, Ricoh Sports Agency, announced that “Jang Hyun-seok of Masan Yongma High School signed a contract with the Dodgers on the 8th for a contract worth 900,000 dollars (approximately 1.18 billion won).”
Jang Hyun-seok, who was called ‘the biggest fish in high school’, was almost certain to be ranked first if he participated in this year’s KBO draft. But he chose the American challenge.
Jang Hyun-seok was famous as a ‘fire bowler’. In this year’s high school baseball championships, he threw a fastball of up to 157 km. And at the recently held Blue Dragon, he showcased breaking balls such as sweepers and sliders, and also demonstrated his crisis management skills. He also proved that he also possesses the stamina that allows him to pitch a complete pitch into the ninth inning.
Because of this appearance, 10 KBO league clubs as well as major league scouts often visited the stadium to see him. He was aware of the interest in him, so Jang Hyun-seok was deeply concerned about advancing to the KBO League and the major leagues. He finally decided to challenge the American stage.
Jang Hyun-seok said, “I’m sorry to have kept many people waiting in the process of deciding where to go. It was very difficult to decide because both the KBO League and the Major League were the stages I dreamed of. I made up my mind,” he explained why he chose to advance to the big leagues. He continued, “It is an honor to join a prestigious team called the Dodgers. I will work hard as much as I have chosen to become a developing player.”
After Jang Hyun-seok’s decision to go to the Dodgers was officially announced, locals in the US paid attention to him.
This time, MLB.com, the official homepage of Major League Baseball, also illuminated Jang Hyun-seok. The media said, “Although he is 19 years old with no professional experience yet, scouts praised the potential he would bring.” In addition to his 90 mph ball, he plays a slider, curveball, changeup and sweeper. He took the mound 7 times for Masan Yong Mago, striking out 49 batters in 27⅓ innings, recording an average ERA of 0.33 in 3 wins.”스포츠토토
In particular, he showed great interest in the part where he boarded the Hangzhou Asian Games national team. Jang Hyun-seok was the only amateur player from high school to college to board the Hangzhou Asian Games national team. If he achieves the best performance and receives ‘military service exemption’, a solid road will open in front of Jang Hyun-seok. The media said, “Jang Hyun-seok will gain valuable experience in September. He is the youngest player on the Korean roster.”
The Dodgers worked hard to recruit Jang Hyun-seok. The Dodgers, along with the Texas Rangers, have a bonus pool that can be used for international amateur contracts at $4.144 million (approximately 5.46 billion won), the smallest among the 30 major league clubs, and Yoendry Vargas ($2.08 million) earlier this year. , spent 4.1 million dollars (approximately 5.4 billion won) by signing amateurs including Arnaldo Lantigua (700,000 dollars).
The Dodgers, who could not afford to invest in Jang Hyun-suk, received a dash bonus pool by trading two prospects, Aldrin Batista and Maximo Martinez, to the Chicago White Sox. And he invested in Jang Hyun-seok. It can be seen that expectations for Jang Hyun-seok are high.
It is unlikely that Jang Hyeon-seok will be on the major league stage right away. Attention is also focusing on how quickly he will get on the mound at Dodger Stadium.
MLB.com also said, “It remains to be seen where Jang Hyun-suk will start his professional career.”