Hanwha Eagles’ fastball pitcher Kim Seo-hyun (19) is currently receiving a starting class.
Seohyun Kim joined Hanwha with the first overall pick in the first round of the 2023 KBO League rookie draft. At the beginning of the season, he mainly worked as a bullpen pitcher, but recently, he has appeared in many games as a starter. The Lotte Giants and Futures League match on the 15th of last month is the beginning. In his first starting match against Dun Lotte, he threw 38 pitches in 2 innings, then (against Doosan Bears on the 25th) 74 pitches in 3⅓ innings, and most recently, in the match against Goyang Heroes on the 6th, he threw 97 pitches in 5⅔ innings. .
Hanwha is currently developing Kim Seo-hyun as a starting pitcher. It is unreasonable to see the increase in innings and pitches as a one-off start. He is in the process of improving his physical condition by taking selection classes.
Hanwha coach Choi Won-ho explained Kim Seo-hyun’s training plan during the coach briefing before the All-Star break. “I personally think that top prospects should start as a starting pitcher. The variety of experiences that started as a starter should be the foundation to have a much higher chance of success even if they switch to the bullpen later. If you play the bullpen from the beginning, you cannot have a variety of experiences,” he explained. did.
“A typical example is a crisis situation. A bullpen pitcher does not experience a crisis. Why don’t you change it right away? (In the second half of the game) How can you tell them to keep throwing when it is a crisis? added.메이저놀이터
Seohyun Kim’s healthy body, now in her first year as a pro, was also one of the criteria for classifying her as a starter. Kim Seo-hyun has a sturdy physique of 188 cm and 86 kg, and can throw a fastball in the mid to late 150 km/h speed range. Coach Choi judged that it would be helpful for the player to have a young pitcher with excellent pitches play first as a starter.
Director Choi said, “One of the many factors in the selection is a healthy body. That is why it is most ideal for young players to enter the starting lineup. Players have a high probability of success, so in the Futures League, except for veteran Jang Min-jae, we set up a starting lineup with young pitchers such as Nam Ji-min and Park Joon-young.”
Kim Seo-hyun started in the bullpen in all 18 games in the first team this season, recording an average ERA of 5.60 in 17⅔ innings. Although he has recently been starting as a somewhat unfamiliar starter, he expects that the various experiences he will gain here will help him further develop. Expectations are high on how much Kim Seo-hyun, who proved his potential with his powerful pitch, will grow further with his selection experience.
