"If there is an Ohtani in Japan, Kim Seong-jun in Korea..." Is 'Real Lee Do-ryu' coming out this time? A promising player from Gwangju who ML is also paying attention to

"If there is an Ohtani in Japan, Kim Seong-jun in Korea..." Is 'Real Lee Do-ryu' coming out this time? A promising player from Gwangju who ML is also paying attention to

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In recent years, a number of amateur hopefuls have challenged themselves to become second-rate players. However, there have been virtually no cases where they have established themselves as second-rate players on the professional stage. The reality of a professional is that focusing on just one pitcher or batter is overwhelming.

Will there be a real second-rate prospect this time? Gwangju Jeil High School pitcher and infielder Kim Sung-joon will challenge the second-rate barrier that seems impossible to overcome. Even among the field and scouts, there are conflicting opinions on which direction to choose between pitchers and fielders. This also means that Kim Sung-joon is talented in both pitching and batting.

Kim Sung-joon, a right-handed pitcher and right-handed pitcher and infielder born and raised in Gwangju, is a native of Gwangju. He is a talented player with natural talent, as evidenced by fierce competition among high schools in Gwangju ahead of his graduation from middle school.

Since his sophomore year in high school, Kim has already shown off both pitching and batting talents on the official stage. As a pitcher, Kim pitched in 14 games (34.1 innings) in 2024 and posted a 3-1 record with a 2.65 ERA, 47 strikeouts, 17 pitches and a WHIP of 1.06. As a batter, he played in 28 games and recorded a batting average of 0.307, 31 hits, one homer, eight RBIs, 13 steals, 26 pitches, a on-base plus 0.445, and a slugging percentage of 0.386.
Kim Sung-joon, who recently met with Expots News, said, "I'm preparing hard with the thought that I'm going to take on a new challenge even if I can get more attention in the new year. Even if people around me talk about it, I'm trying to play my baseball with confidence without being aware of it."

Born in Gwangju, Kim Seong-jun and baseball became inevitable. "I naturally encountered baseball as I often went to the ballpark with my father since I was young. I played baseball in my hometown and started playing baseball at my father's recommendation," Kim said. "I kept working hard because baseball was much more fun than studying (laughs). I went through puberty, but I was able to come this far because my parents and friends supported me well."

Usually, a student-athlete with both a pitcher and a fielder makes a choice to focus on one position ahead of a professional nomination. However, Kim Sung-joon has repeatedly expressed his desire to challenge for the second class not only in his senior year but also in the professional arena.

Kim Sung-joon said, "I have been a pitcher and a fielder since elementary school, so I have no big difficulty. There is a difference between making a pitcher and a fielder's body, but that's how much more time I invest in training carefully. Even when I go on the professional stage, I really want to play both a pitcher and a fielder. I want to play baseball that others can't easily do. If there is a Ohtani in Japan, I want to show that there is a Kim Sung-joon in Korea."

Kim confidently revealed his strengths as a pitcher and a fielder. "I think he is a player who enjoys crisis situations as a pitcher and can show impactful scenes as a fielder," Kim said. "I hit the maximum speed of 150km/h last year on the mound. I am also confident in sliders. As a fielder, he has strong shoulders, so I think he is strong in defense of shortstop. At bat, he can display fast feet in medium and long distances. I like to play like Kim Do-young."

KBO League clubs and Major League clubs, which already have the top draft picks for the 2026 KBO Rookie Draft, are all paying attention to Kim Sung-joon. Kim Sung-joon also did not deny that he had a dream of going straight to the Major League.

"I wore No. 13 because I wanted to copy Ronald Acuña Jr.'s play," Kim said. "It is true that I am more attracted to not only the KBO league but also to the Major League than last year," he added. "If I showed Scouts my best performance as a pitcher last year, I will also show more performance as a fielder this year. I want to challenge myself to a cartoonish baseball where I play as a starting shortstop, hit a finishing hit, and take the mound as a closing pitcher to save the game." 메이저사이트

Finally, Kim Sung-joon said, "I was so sad because I was eliminated from the semifinals twice in the national championship last year. This year, I really want to advance to the professional stage with my teammates by holding the national championship trophy," vowing to "show baseball fans a great play that makes me wonder if a high school student can do so well."