"Fearless High School Rookie" LG Kim Young-woo "Look at the center and throw it with all your might."
"Fearless High School Rookie" LG Kim Young-woo "Look at the center and throw it with all your might."
Blog Article
High school rookie pitchers who take the mound in front of a full crowd often fail to overcome extreme tension and miss the game due to ball control difficulties.
However, Kim Young-woo (20), a high school graduate rookie pitcher of the LG Twins, has never shown such a scene. He throws the ball into the strike zone with guts. Since he has few balls, his pitching was cool.메이저놀이터
Kim Young-woo, who was selected by LG as the 10th overall pick in the first round of the 2025 rookie draft, is expected to take responsibility for the future of the twin corps. After joining the first-team spring camp, he was impressed by Yeom Kyung-yeop's fastball and sharp breaking ball in the 150-kilometer range and made the opening entry.
Kim also stood out on the first team stage, where prominent seniors gathered. As of Tuesday, he pitched in three games in the first team, displaying good pitching by allowing two hits, three strikeouts and one walk in three innings. It is a start that is highly encouraging.
"After debuting in the first division, I am realizing more that I am on the professional stage. I have also strengthened my commitment to show better performances in the future," Kim said.
What's impressive is ball control. The strike rate reached 75 percent (33 strikes out of 44 pitches).
Kim Young-woo said, "After the trial game, the pitching coach pointed out the parts that need to be adjusted regarding the mechanism. He also has a lot of mental aspects. My seniors advised me not to think about doing well when I get on the mound, but to throw confidently in a learning position, which helped me a lot."
His bold mindset, which does not discourage batters, also led to his aggressive pitching. "I don't want to give a walk even if I get a hit. That's why I threw the ball to the center of the strike zone," Kim said. "I think my ball control is not bad. I will try to become a better pitcher."
◇ What's important for a good start is 'finish'
With solid pitching, LG had a seven-game winning streak since the opening game against the Lotte Giants on April 22. Kim's professional debut was delayed a little as the starting pitcher took charge of long innings and the winning team took charge of the remaining innings. Kim experienced the mound in the first division through the match against the Changwon NC Dinos on March 29, his team's seventh game.
Kim Young-woo said, "I was happy that the team kept winning. "I could feel that our LG continued to perform well," he said. "The first game was delayed, but we prepared hard to play at any time. Watching my seniors pitch, I learned how to face the batter in each situation."
He also visited senior players and learned know-how in person. Veteran bullpen pitcher Kim Jin-seong taught him how to play folk ball, which Kim Young-woo quickly learned. Kim threw a folk ball against Park Se-hyuk (NC) for the first time on the professional stage, striking out swinging.
He said, "The seniors give me various advice besides breaking balls. As a professional baseball player, I learned how to prepare for the game and live."
Kim, who started his professional career smoothly, lowered himself, saying that he only took the mound for the first time. "I only played in three games. I should not be satisfied with the result now. I think how to finish a long season is more important," he said. "I will do my best to produce good results in every game I take the mound for now."
Kim Young-woo took pride in being a player of the LG club, which was supported by passionate fans.
He said, "I saw a full crowd cheering in the dugout of Jamsil Stadium, and I got goosebumps that couldn't be compared to what I experienced in the stands when I was young. In particular, after the end of the 7th inning, I felt the thrill of the fans' favorite cheering song, Forever LG," and added, "I want to pitch well in front of such great home fans."