Kiwoom is a team that does not put limits on the possibilities of its players. It is a team that is open to new attempts so that you can draw a bigger dream.
In this year’s spring camp in Scottsdale, Arizona, Kiwoom has two pitching players. Jang Jae-young (21), a 3-year-old who came in as the first nomination in 2021, and Kim Kun-hee (19), a newcomer who joined in the 6th overall in the first round this year, are training as both pitcher and batter.
Both players spend one day with a bat as a hitter and two days as a pitcher during their three-day training turn. At the beginning of the camp, as a fielder, the proportion of hitting and defense training was high, but as the third week of camp passed, the time as a pitcher including bullpen pitching increased.
We are looking at the exhibition game for a long time, but as the half of the camp passes, the direction of the two players’ two-time pitching is also gradually revealed. Kiwoom coach Hong Won-ki said on the 21st (hereafter Korean time), “I want to make one thing a little more certain through the experience of both pitching and batting rather than pursuing both.”
Jang Jae-young was caught early as a pitcher, his original position. From the time the club first proposed a double job as a pitcher, his goal was to become better as a pitcher. Jang Jae-young himself said, “There is no compulsion or pressure to do dual swords. He cares more about pitching,” he said. Director Hong Won-ki also said, “Jang Jae-young, who throws more than 150 km, has a lot of charm as a pitcher. He went to Korea in Geelong, Australia in the winter and had a good experience. He said, “I’m really looking forward to this season.”슬롯사이트
Jang Jae-young, who failed to live up to his expectations due to his inability to pitch for two years after joining the team, tried his high school routine again last winter while working as a pitcher at Geelong Korea in Australia. He refreshed himself by reliving his memories of the good times and changed his approach by watching the pitcher’s ball directly from his plate. As a result, as a pitcher, he stabilized his pitching even in actual matches and saw the effect. He is a candidate for the 5th selection this year and is raising expectations by improving his condition even in spring camp.
Rookie Kim Geon-hee, who is training with Jang Jae-young as a pitcher, started with all possibilities open at first. Kim Kun-hee, who was named catcher and pitcher at the time of the rookie draft nomination in September of last year, showed an extraordinary will, saying, “I want to try like Shohei Ohtani (LA Angels).” At the camp, he showed his potential by practicing pitching as a pitcher and first baseman, but Hong’s mind leaned slightly to one side.
Manager Hong said, “I see Kim Gun-hee’s pitching talent as good,” but “I am carefully thinking that putting a little more weight on the hitter will be advantageous for the growth and adaptation of the player.” Kim Gun-hee, who changed his position from catcher to pitcher after suffering a thumb injury in May of last year when he was a senior at Wonju High School, improved his batting ability, and is recognized for his potential to grow into a first baseman with a giant cannon.
Jang Jae-young and Kim Kun-hee both scrambled to pitch side by side in a simulation game against the Arizona Diamondbacks held at Salt River Field on the 23rd. Jang Jae-young, who started as the first pitcher, made full use of curves (7) and sliders (1), centered on powerful fastballs (12) with a maximum distance of 152 km and an average of 149 km. He allowed hits and walks, but none were far out of the zone. As a hitter, he walked multiple times with two walks. Kim Geon-hee, who was put in as the last pitcher, threw only fastballs in all 17 pitches, measuring a maximum of 144 km and an average of 142 km. His control was not perfect, such as a ball that hit the ground with a one-bound.
Coach Hong said after the game, “Until the demonstration game, Jang Jae-young will come out to the plate while pitching, and will also defend (outfield) at the same time. It’s a new attempt, but I’m not trying to see a completely different appearance like Ohtani right now (with a complete pitching job). In order for the player to grow in a good direction, both pitchers and pitchers look at the potential and hope during the camp. I hope you don’t have too much interest and expectations.”
Director Hong continued, “Kim Kun-hee seems to have to decide the route quickly. Since he is a young player, he has a lot of greed, but he follows everything you tell him to do. He sure has good qualities, but there is also a risk of injury, and although he threw in a real game, there are ups and downs. He said that setting a route quickly through sympathy with the player himself would lead to a good direction for the player’s adaptation.