Hanwha Sweeps Promising Talent for Three Consecutive Years … Moon Dong-ju, Kim Seo-hyun, and Hwang Jun-seo
Hanwha, ranked last for three years in a row, selects fastball pitcher in rookie draft
The day when the professional baseball rookie draft is held is a day when even the Hanwha Eagles,
who have been in the bottom tier for several years, can smile brightly.
This is because the order of rookie draft nominations is the reverse of the team rankings of the previous season, 바카라사이트
so Hanwha has had an advantage every year.
In particular, Hanwha ranked last for three consecutive seasons from 2020 to 2022 and exercised the right to be the first overall pick for three years starting in 2021.
The same was true in the 2024 rookie draft held at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Seoul on the 14th.
Hanwha General Manager Son Hyuk, who was the first to grab the microphone,
called left-handed pitcher Hwang Jun-seo (Jangchung High School) without hesitation.
As a result, Hanwha Eagles has completed the ‘Fireballer Younggun Trio’ by adding Hwang Jun-seo to Moon Dong-ju and Kim Seo-hyun, who were recruited over the past two years.
Unlike Moon Dong-ju and Kim Seo-hyun, Hwang Jun-seo is a left-handed pitcher,
so he has added balance between the left and right sides of the mound.
Hanwha is ranked 8th in the league this season (50 wins, 63 losses, 6 draws),
so it is unlikely that it will receive the first pick next year.
In the first round of nomination in 2021, Hanwha picked up special right-hander Moon Dong-ju,
who was considered the ‘second Ryu Hyun-jin’ at the time.
And Moon Dong-ju has emerged as a decent starting pitcher this year, living up to Hanwha’s expectations.
Last year, his first season, he recorded only 1 win, 3 losses, and an average ERA of 5.65 in 13 games due to injuries, but this year,
when he was in trouble, he rebounded brilliantly with 8 wins, 8 losses, and an average ERA of 3.72 in 13 games.
Moon Dong-ju, who became a hot topic in high school by throwing a fastball at a maximum speed of 154 km/h,
also became the first Korean player in the KBO League to throw a fastball that exceeded 160 km/h last April.
Moon Dong-ju, a strong candidate for Rookie of the Year,
will also participate in the Hangzhou Asian Games this month and challenge for the golden fight.
Last year, when the full draft was introduced, Kim Seo-hyun was called up by Hanwha.
Kim Seo-hyun, a three-quarter type pitcher, received high praise for throwing fast balls exceeding 150 km per hour with his unique pitching stance.
Kim Seo-hyun, who is taking selection classes in the 2nd team, is going through an adjustment period in the 1st team this year with 20 games, 22⅓ innings, 26 strikeouts, and an ERA of 7.25.
Meanwhile, infielder Moon Hyun-bin is also a rookie who was selected 11th overall in the second round of last year’s draft.
Moon Hyun-bin has played in 112 games, the most among rookies this year,
with a batting average of 0.252 (88 hits in 349 at-bats), 37 RBIs, and 39 runs.
Hwang Jun-seo, who was selected on this day, is also expected to be the ‘second Kim Gwang-hyun’
as he throws a fast ball at a maximum speed of over 150 km/h.
This year, he struck out 58 batters in 49⅔ innings in 15 high school baseball games,
leaving him with 6 wins, 2 losses, and an average ERA of 2.16.
Equipped with the Fireballer Young Gun Trio, Hanwha is determined to overcome the dark times of the past three years and rise to the top next year.
This year, Hanwha is evaluated to have shown a change from the past,
winning 8 consecutive wins for the first time in 18 years under the leadership of General Manager Son Hyuk and Coach Choi Won-ho.