KIA Tigers left-hander Yoon Young-cheol (19) has set an aspiration to survive in the first team this season.
On the 6th (Korean time), Yoon Young-chul pitched his second bullpen during the spring camp training held at the Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Arizona, USA. He is the only rookie to pick up the pace by participating in Arizona spring camp.
Yoon Young-cheol, who joined KIA as a 2023 rookie draft 1st round (2nd pick) nomination, received enthusiastic expectations from fans even before his debut. He was ranked as the best left-hander in his high school days, and his perfection was evaluated as the highest among high school pitchers.
Manager Kim Jong-guk said, “I saw Yoon Young-chul pitching in the bullpen, and he was really stable. Unlike a player who has just graduated from high school, the location is good. He throws well with the type and course he wants and his pitching mechanism is stable. I think he is a good pitcher with really good baseball intelligence (BQ) and a really stable game management ability.”
Yoon Young-cheol, who came to the US spring camp for the first time, said, “It’s definitely nice because the weather is nice and the weather is warm. He definitely seems to be more helpful than he does in Korea,” he laughed. Then, regarding his bullpen pitching, “I threw my best in my current physical condition, and I think it’s about 70 to 80%. So far, the body has not been fully developed. He said, “It will take a little longer to perfect it, but I’m still happy with what I’m throwing at this point.” 메이저놀이터
Yoon Young-cheol, who showed regret during the pitching, said, “I was personally disappointed that some fastballs fell more than expected and some breaking balls did not come out of control. Still, the coach said that he still had time to play, so he said that he could make it in the meantime,” he explained the reason for his regret.
Yoon Young-chul, who is preparing for the season in earnest with his seniors for the first time in the professional league, said, “Looking at the seniors, they all throw the ball differently. There are also many left-handed seniors, so I am learning a lot by watching them throw. In particular, I was with (Lee) Loyal-hyung when he first pitched, but when I saw him from the side, the ball was completely different. The ball stretched out and flew away. I can’t throw that powerfully, but I think I can do well with pitches that match the precision.
KIA has formed a very solid starting lineup this season. Four starting pitchers, including two foreign players (Anderson and Medina), Yang Hyeon-jong, and Lee Eui-ri, are certain. However, the 5 starting positions are still vacant. Lim Ki-young, Kim Ki-hoon, and Yoon Young-chul compete for a spot as starting pitchers.
Yoon Young-chul said, “I am greedy for the starting pitcher position. However, he thinks it would be a better experience if he could pitch even one more game in the first team, whether as a starter or in the bullpen. Andachi is the most important thing, and if possible, I want to stay in the first team for a long time,” he said with determination this season.