High school pitcher Jang Hyun-seok signs with LA Dodgers for $900,000
High school pitcher Jang Hyun-seok (Masan Yongmago) has signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Jang Hyun-seok’s management company, Rico Sports Agency, announced on the 9th that “Jang Hyun-seok has signed a contract with the Dodgers for a signing bonus of $900,000 (approximately KRW 1.184 billion).” While the contract is less than $1 million and not as high as expected, it is more than Shim Jun-seok, a hard-throwing pitcher from Duksugo High School who signed with Pittsburgh for $750,000 last year. It’s also the highest contract for a pitcher since the 2010s, when Kim Jin-young signed with the Chicago Cubs for $1.2 million in February 2010.스포츠토토
Right-hander Jang Hyun-seok, who has been called the “biggest name” among pitchers eligible for the 2024 baseball draft, announced on Sept. 1 that he will not participate in the draft and will move to the United States to try his hand at the major leagues. The Dodgers, who carefully explained the process and methods of pitcher development to Jang, were the first team to sign him.
Jang, who was the only amateur selected for the Hangzhou Asian Games baseball team, is a fireballer who throws up to 155 kilometers per hour. In addition to his fastball, he also has a slider, changeup, and curveball. Recently, he’s also been working on a spherical sweeper, which has become popular in the big leagues.
In high school baseball this year, he went 3-0 with a 0.93 ERA in nine games. He was particularly impressive with his command, striking out 52 batters in 29 innings pitched. In high school, he went 6-3 with a 1.85 ERA in 21 games. In 68.1 innings, he struck out 102 batters.
The Dodgers are no stranger to Korean baseball fans. Chan-ho Park, the “Korean Express,” and Ryu Hyun-jin, the “Korean Monster” (Toronto), made their big league debuts in Dodger uniforms and impressed. Park signed with the Dodgers in 1994 while still a student at Hanyang University and went on to compile an 84-58 record with a 3.77 ERA over nine seasons. After playing for Hanwha, Hyun-jin Ryu joined the Dodgers through the posting system (non-tender offer) after the 2012 season and went 54-33 with a 2.98 ERA over six years. Currently, Choi Hyun-il, a right-handed pitcher from Seoul High School, is pursuing his big league dreams in the Dodgers’ minor league system.
“I am honored to join the prestigious Dodgers,” said Jang Hyun-seok through Ricoh Sports Agency, “and I will work hard to become a better player as they have chosen me.” Jang will hold a press conference for the Dodgers at 2 p.m. on April 14 at the Dragon City Hotel in Seoul. A Dodgers scout will be present at the press conference to explain the background of the signing.