South Korean high school pitching prospect Jang Hyun-seok was formally introduced as a new member of the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday, embarking on a pursuit of his big league dreams.
Jang, 19, agreed to a US$900,000 signing bonus with the Dodgers last Wednesday, ending speculation on his future destination after Jang had announced earlier this month that he would skip the annual rookie draft in the top South Korean league.
The right-handed fireballer for Masan Yongma High School had been regarded as the likely No. 1 overall pick at the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) draft this fall.
In nine appearances so far this season, Jang has gone 3-0 with a 0.93 ERA. He has struck out 52 batters in 29 innings while walking 14. He has only allowed nine hits, with zero home runs, so far in 2023.
For his high school career, Jang is 6-3 with a 1.85 ERA, having struck out 102 batters in 68 1/3 innings.
Listed at 190 centimeters and 90 kilograms, Jang has touched 156 kilometers per hour (96.9 miles per hour) with his signature fastball. He is also the only amateur named to the South Korean national team for this year's Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
"It's an honor to be able to put on the Dodgers uniform," Jang said at his introductory press conference at Seoul Dragon City hotel complex in the capital city. "I knew they were interested in me but I didn't think I'd end up signing with this team."
The Dodgers are no stranger to baseball fans in South Korea. Park Chan-ho, the first South Korean to play in the majors, made his debut with the Dodgers in 1994. Another pitcher, Ryu Hyun-jin, cut his big league teeth in Dodger blue. First baseman Choi Hee-seop and pitcher Seo Jae-weong are two other South Koreans who have played for the Dodgers.
A 23-year-old Korean right-hander Choi Hyun-il has been in the Dodgers minor league system since 2019 and is currently pitching for their High-A affiliate, the Great Lakes Loons.
"I could have played some pro ball in Korea before heading over, but my ultimate goal has always been to play in the majors," Jang said. "I've long been interested in pitch design and other analytics. I decided it'd be better for me to learn about them in the U.S. than in Korea because they have better systems and facilities over there."
Source: Yonhap News Agency