Will the rookie follow in the footsteps of his seniors?
Will the rookie follow in the footsteps of his seniors?
Rookie pitcher Cho Dae-hyun (19) of the Kia Tigers is looking to make the first team. Along with fellow rookie Kim Min-ju, he is on the roster for spring training in Canberra, Australia. He’s been pitching in the bullpen with the seniors to improve his command. He’s still a raw talent, but his options are open as a starter or reliever.
Dae-hyun Cho is a first-rounder. He has tons of potential. His best pitch is a 150-mph fastball that he throws down from his 6-foot-4 frame. He added muscle last winter to improve his strength. He’ll have more end-of-ball strength. He also has a sinker. He learned it from James Nail. He is learning more and more in spring training.
Recent closers Jung Hae-young (2020 1st round pick), Lee Yi-ri (2021 1st round pick), Kim Do-young (2022 1st round pick), 토토사이트 and Yoon Young-cheol (2023 1st round pick) are all seniors who were drafted in the first or first round and have been starters since their first year. Their performances spurred 2018 first-round pick Han Jun-soo, a catcher, to become a first-team regular. 2019 first-round pick Kim Ki-hoon, a left-hander, and 2017 first-round pick Yoo Seung-rae, a right-hander, are also working hard to add to the strength of the first-team mound.
It’s the perfect environment for Cho to grow.
His role models are Lee Yi-ri and Yoon Young-cheol, who have been in the starting rotation since the first year of the program, including top prospect Yang Hyun-jong. Two other pitchers who played full-time in the major leagues are also tutors. You can learn right away how to prepare for the season in camp, how to prepare for games, and how to train. However, the Kia mound is strong, so the rookie may not have many opportunities.
There’s no place for Dae-hyun Cho in the starting rotation. The starting five is already set with Will Crowe, James Nail, Yang Hyeon-jong, Lee Yi-ri, and Yoon Young-cheol. However, he is definitely on the shortlist for the sixth through eighth spots as a backup. They will be needed in case of injuries or if the starters are unable to complete a regulation inning.
He’s a long-term starter, but there’s a chance he could end up in the bullpen. He can be used as a long man or a chaser to back up a starter. 파워볼실시간 If he can show that he can close out the first inning, he could become more useful. He’ll have to prove himself in camp, in Okinawa, and in exhibition games to have a chance.