Signed by three clubs for $900,000
Fastball sits in the low 150s and has a variety of pitches
‘Big league direct’ 2nd success story booked
‘온라인카지노 High school phenom’ Jang Hyun-seok (19-Masan Yongmago) will wear a uniform of the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball. Jang Hyun-seok’s agency, Ricoh Sports, announced on the 9th that he signed a contract with the Dodgers for a signing bonus of $900,000 (approximately 1.18 billion won).
Jang is a right-hander with a fastball that sits in the low 150 kilometres per hour and has a 6-3 record with a 1.85 ERA in 21 appearances in high school baseball. Despite throwing fastballs, his pitches are relatively stable, and he has a variety of pitches, including curveballs and changeups, which have attracted the attention of domestic and major league scouts.
He is the only amateur player to be selected to the Korean baseball team for the Hangzhou Asian Games in September, making him the first high school player ever to represent Korea at an Asian Games.
He was also one of the biggest names ahead of the 2024 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. However, Jang Hyun-seok announced his intention to play in the major leagues on the 1st, and within a week, he had decided on the Dodgers as his destination.
Initially, three clubs expressed interest in Jang, and he ultimately chose the Dodgers, who were the most aggressive. “The Dodgers prepared an analytical video of Jang’s pitching motion and explained the process and method of pitcher development well,” said Lee Ye-rang of Ricoh Sports Agency.
The Dodgers have been associated with several Korean major leaguers in the past, most notably Park Chan-ho and Ryu Hyun-jin, both of whom made their big league debuts. Like Park, Jang Hyun-seok, who bypassed the KBO to take the big leap to the United States, is looking to continue that lineage with the Dodgers.
“It’s an honour to join such a prestigious club. I will work hard and become a better player as you have chosen me,” he said.
Jang will hold his signing press conference with Dodgers scouts at Dragon City Hotel in Seoul at 2 p.m. on the 14th.