Jang Jae-young (22, Kiwoom Heroes) might just be a hitting genius.
The Kiwoom Heroes surprisingly promoted Jang Jae-young to the first team on Tuesday against the Cheongju Hanwha Eagles. Jang graduated from Deoksugo High School and was drafted in the first round of the 2021 draft for a contract worth 900 million won, but he hasn’t shown any talent as a pitcher in the past two to three years.
This year, Jang was diagnosed with an elbow injury that required medical attention, and instead of undergoing surgery and being shut down for the season, Jae-young decided to rehab and switch to hitting. Jae-young began his season in the Futures League. In 19 games, Jang hit .232 with 16 doubles, five home runs, 13 RBIs, eight runs scored, a .464 slugging percentage, a .346 on-base percentage, and an .810 OPS.
Jang also played shortstop at Duksugo High School and has experience in center field for the national team. He has already taken batting practice at Kiwoom’s spring training camp since 2023. Jang Jae-young’s decision to switch to the batter’s box was not an impromptu one. He realized that he didn”t have much potential as a pitcher and decided to give it a real shot as a hitter.
Professionals and amateurs are different. Jang struggled to hit accurately against second-tier professional pitchers. He struck out 26 times against 10 walks. He struggled with the basic change-ups and fastballs that professional pitchers use.
However, his one-hit power was “steamed. He hit a whopping five home runs while his accuracy suffered. Of his 16 hits, only one was a double. Of the other 15, one-third, or five, were home runs. He proved that he can produce enough home 먹튀검증 runs at the second level if the bat is centered properly. He also played some center field in the second team.
Manager Hong Won-ki didn’t want to put Jang Jae-young on the first team until he was sure of his position, but he won’t be able to do much defensive work anyway because he needs elbow surgery for a while. Songoo would have to stay in the second team without any expectations, which is not necessarily good for Jang Jae-young’s motivation.
Therefore, it was expected that coach Hong Won-ki might give him a ‘first team smell’ at the right time based on the second team’s evaluation. Despite his initial policy of ‘no defense, no first team’, Hong Won-ki is a warm coach who cares about his players more than anyone else.
There’s nothing wrong with using him as a designated hitter or pinch-hitter. However, manager Hong Won-ki made a bold decision to use Jang Jae-young in center field. The starting pitcher for Hanwha was Moon Dong-joo, who is also a promising ‘future’ 메이저 토토사이트 player, and Jang Jae-young began his career as a full-fledged hitter by producing a walk, a run, and a double against Moon Dong-joo.
Jang Jae-young led off the top of the third inning with a straight bunt single. He then came home on Lee Joo-hyung’s leadoff double. It was his first career walk and a run scored. In the top of the fourth inning with a 2-0 lead, Jang swung wildly at a 150-kilometer fastball from Moon Dong-joo in the middle of the zone.
Jang Jae-young, however, crushed a two-pitch, 152-kilometer fastball for a two-run double. It was the first hit and a double in his debut. Lee Jae-young was not credited with an RBI as the runner from first base, Lee Jae-sang, reached home on an error by the right fielder.
Jang Jae-young was hit by Moon Dong-joo’s curveball in the top of the sixth inning with a 4-0 lead. With two outs, he struck out swinging on a three-pitch, 118-kilometer slow curveball. Then, in the top of the seventh inning, with runners on second and third, he drew another walk on a high slider from Nam Ji-min.
In his debut, Jang went 1-for-2 with a home run, a run scored, and two walks. Jang Jae-young’s hitting prowess was on full display.