Taegeuk Mark Team Jang Hyun-seok, will we be able to see it after AG… LAD “We are positive about being drafted into the national team”

The Los Angeles Dodgers expressed their positive stance on the future selection of Jang Hyun-seok (19, Masan Yongmago) for the national team.메이저사이트

Pacific Region scouting director John Deeble said at a press conference held at the Dragon City Hotel in Yongsan-gu, Seoul on the 14th that Jang Hyun-seok joined the Los Angeles Dodgers, “Our club positively selects Jang Hyun-seok for the national team when there are international competitions such as the Asian Games or the World Baseball Classic (WBC). I think of it. The club has also made a decision to support the work representing the country.”

On the 9th, Jang Hyun-seok officially announced through his management company, Ricoh Sports Agency, “We have signed a contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers with a down payment of 900,000 dollars (approximately 1.2 billion won).” He went to the official press conference on the 14th, and LA Dodgers president Andrew Friedman, pro scouting vice president Gail Lanker, and minor league pitching director Rob Hill also delivered congratulatory messages to the LA Dodgers.

His career was the biggest concern for baseball in Korea this year. In addition to his excellent control, he was evaluated for making good use of his four-seam fastball with a maximum speed of 157 km/h, a curve with a large drop in the early 130 km/h range, a changeup, and a slider and sweeper with a speed of 140 km/h. Based on his excellent skills, he recorded an average ERA of 1.85 in 21 games, 6 wins, 3 losses, and 42 walks and 102 strikeouts in 68⅓ innings over three years of high school. In particular, this year, in his third year, he made a big success with 3 wins in 9 matches and an average ERA of 0.93, leading Masan Yongma High School’s E-Mart Cup to the semifinals and the Blue Dragon Ki to the quarterfinals.

Naturally, he was considered No. 1 overall in the 2024 KBO Rookie Draft to be held in September of this year, and in the quarterfinals between Jangchung High School and Cheongryonggi on the 24th of last month, the last game before he decided on his career path, scouts from eight major league (ML) teams directly visited Mokdong Stadium. I looked and watched the game. It was around this time that Jang Hyun-seok decided to advance to the United States. He said, “I think I made a perfect decision after the quarterfinals of Jangchung High School and Blue Dragon. The theory and training of pitching design and pitch tunnel, which I am interested in, are much better in the United States than in Korea, so I personally decided that learning in the United States is better.” He said, “I could have played in Korean professional baseball, but I chose the American challenge because I thought that the American system and facilities would make it more perfect through scientific baseball.”

At the same time, attention was focused on whether Jang Hyun-seok would be selected as a national representative in the future. In June, he was the only amateur player to join the final entry for the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games to be held in September. If he wins the gold medal, he is exempted from military service, which gives Jang Hyun-suk individual wings in his future career. In this regard, the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), even after Jang Hyun-seok’s declaration of a major league challenge, made a firm stance, saying, “There is no reason why you should not be selected for the Asian Games just because you challenge the major leagues in principle.”

There is a perception that it is difficult for him to be selected for the national team if he heads to the US major leagues rather than the KBO. In fact, major league players did not participate in the Asian Games held during the season, and major league clubs were skeptical of the WBC held just before the season a few years ago.

However, gradually their perception is changing. As major league clubs form a consensus on the globalization of baseball, there are positive changes in the selection of international competitions. In the ‘2020 Tokyo Olympics’ held in 2021, a number of minor leaguers, including well-known prospects such as Shane Barz (then Tampa Bay Rays), Joe Ryan (then Tampa Bay Rays), and Simeon Woods-Richardson (then Toronto Blue Jays), participated. did. Even at the 2023 WBC held this year, the US national team featured a super-luxurious lineup that included only three major league MVPs (Mike Trout, Paul Goldschmidt, and Mookie Betts).

As revealed in the case of scout Jang Hyun-seok this time, the Los Angeles Dodgers is considered the most innovative and unbiased club in the major leagues. Dibble director said, “We have a very long history in Asian baseball, and there are many successful players such as Park Chan-ho and Ryu Hyun-jin. Our goal is to find the best players regardless of nationality, so we have a lot of scouts.” He also started watching him in 2020, when he was in his third year of middle school, and seven scouts confirmed and approved his talent, so he reported the results like this.”

The Los Angeles Dodgers sent a total of 11 players (8 major leaguers and 3 minor leaguers) to each national team, including the United States, excluding players who expressed intention to give up due to injuries, such as Clayton Kershaw (35) at the 2023 WBC. sent. If it grows smoothly, it is not impossible to see Jang Hyun-seok wearing the Taegeuk mark even after the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games.

Jang Hyun-seok said, “It is an honor to wear the LA Dodgers uniform. I chose the LA Dodgers team because I heard that the LA Dodgers team is familiar to Korean players and is the best pitcher training team out of 30 clubs.” I don’t know how many years it will take, but my goal is to rise quickly. I want to become a Kershaw type player. (Even if it takes time) I want to become a starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers like Park Chan-ho and Ryu Hyun-jin.”