Masan Yongma High School’s Jang Hyun-seok (19) is determined to do his best at the Asian Games.
Jang pitched 3 1/3 innings of one-hit ball, striking out six and walking none in relief against Gwangju Gwangjin High School in the 78th Cheongnyonggi National High School Baseball Championship at Mokdong Stadium in Seoul, South Korea, on March 19. Yongmago pulled off a 4-1 come-from-behind victory behind Jang’s strong pitching.
With a 3-0 record and a 0.44 ERA in six games (20⅔ innings) this year, Jang is considered the top prospect in the 2024 Rookie Draft. With a fastball that easily exceeds 150 kilometers per hour and a unique physique (190 centimeters, 90 kilograms), he has great potential.
Jang Hyun-seok surprised fans by becoming the only amateur to make the final roster for the Hangzhou Asian Games in September. “I don’t know how I’m going to do when I get there, but I just want to work hard, be sincere, and show that I can throw the best ball I can,” said Jang, who has the opportunity to compete in what will be a major turning point in his career.
Jang didn’t make the youth national team for the Asian Games. Because he had taken a year off from school, he was not eligible for the youth team due to age restrictions. “I’ve been dreaming of playing for the youth national team since I was in elementary and middle school. But due to the age limit, I couldn’t go this year anyway. When I wasn’t selected last year, I gave up on it,” he laughed.
If Jang Hyun-seok wins a gold medal at the Asian Games, he could receive a special exemption from military service. Not only would he be able to play in the KBO without having to worry about military service, but it would also solve one of the biggest obstacles to reaching the major leagues.
“I can’t answer that question yet,” Jang said, “because I’m not sure if I want to go to the major leagues or stay in Korea. I’m not going to comment,” he laughed, “I’m leaning toward one side or the other, but it’s not a big difference. It’s about 5-5 or 6-4. There are still a lot of Blue Dragon Games competitions left, so it’s hard to think about my personal career. I will probably decide whether to go overseas after the Qinglong,” he said, adding that he has not yet decided whether to go overseas.체스카지노
Jang Hyun-seok, who led Jang Chung-go to the round of 16, will face Bibongo at Mokdong Stadium in Seoul on March 21. “I’ve never been a starting pitcher before,” Jang Hyun-seok regretted, “I’ve always been a reliever, so I’d like to try my hand at starting. I’ll have a day off tomorrow, so I don’t think my physical condition will be as good as I thought. I’ll try to improve my physical condition as much as possible,” he said, showing his determination to win.