Earlier this month, South Korean high school pitcher prospect, Jang Hyun-seok made baseball headlines. This is because he chose to skip the KBO (Korean Baseball Organization) draft where he would have been the top pick. Instead, he chose to pursue his dream of playing in the MLB. Today, he made his dream come true as Jang Hyun-seok signs with the Dodgers.
According to Leeco Sports Agency, Jang made an agreement with the Los Angeles Dodgers as a free agent. Furthermore, it includes a $900,000 signing bonus. While he is officially part of the Dodgers Club, he will not be playing immediately in the major leagues. According to baseball betting websites, the Dodgers will first hone his skills until he is ready for the big league.
South Korean High School Pitcher, Jang Hyun-seok Signs with the Dodgers
Initially, the Dodgers were not able to acquire the 19-year-old south Korean pitcher from Masan Yongma High School. This is because they had already made use of most of their $4.1 million international bonus pool. However, it was made possible because of an additional international bonus slot from a trade with the White Sox.
Jang has been on the watch list by several baseball teams since last September. This is because of his 90 MPH fastball and other pitches that includes a curveball, changeup, slider and sweeper.
Jang has gone 3-0 in seven appearances this season with a 0.33 ERA and one earned run in 27 innings. Furthermore, this took place while striking out 49 and walking 12.
According to baseball betting websites in Korea, his opponents have only gotten seven hits, off Jang this year. In addition, he became the youngest player to join the Korean National Baseball team. This is because he will be playing in the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China as the only amateur player.
For Jang, joining the MLB instead of the KBO was a tough decision. This is because he has been dreaming of pitching for both baseball leagues. In the end, he chose to challenge himself by joining the “best league in the world”.
He said that “It is an honor to join such a prestigious team as the Dodgers.” Furthermore, he said he would “work hard to develop as a player & repay their faith in choosing me.”
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