“It’s a beast, and it has all the advantages.”

“It’s a beast, and it has all the advantages.”

The Kiwoom Heroes made a surprise announcement on April 19. Jang Jae-young (22, Kiwoom Heroes) has officially retired from pitching and will start a new career as a hitter.

The Kiwoom organization said, “When we met with Jang Jae-young at the Gocheok Sky Dome club office on the 7th to discuss his elbow injury treatment, we naturally talked about switching positions. We had several conversations afterward, and formed a consensus that drastic changes and new challenges were necessary for the future of the team and the player.”

In professional baseball, it’s not uncommon to see players switch from pitcher to hitter or hitter to pitcher. Injury or poor performance can be the final straw.

Jang Jae-young was one of those players. 토토사이트 He developed a problem with his elbow, and instead of surgery, he opted for rehabilitation, but in the end, he decided not to take the mound anymore.

It”s a disappointing decision for Jae-young Jang. He was a highly touted prospect who was selected by the Kiwoom Heroes with the first overall pick in the 2021 Rookie Draft. In high school, he threw a fastball that reached an unofficial speed of 157 kilometers per hour, raising expectations for his development into a Korean ace. Jang’s potential as a pitcher was so great that he attracted the attention of Major League Baseball scouts.

Not everyone has velocity.

But it was all for naught if he didn’t have the command to back it up.

From his first year in the league, Jang attracted a lot of attention, but he failed to live up to expectations.

Every year, he battled with his pitches and bounced between the first and second teams. Last year, he finally seemed to be getting the hang of his pitches, but injuries slowed him down.

The final push. The odds are in his favor. Jang Jae-young was as promising as a hitter in high school as he was as a pitcher.

A childhood friend can attest to this.

When Jang Jae-young switched to the batter’s box, his “best friend” Na Seung-yeop (22, Lotte Giants) expressed his confidence in Jang’s success and generous support. 사설 토토사이트 The two were classmates at Deoksugo High School and have been close friends since elementary school.

“I knew about (Jang’s switch to the outfield). We’re in touch often,” he said with a smile, adding, ”He’s a very good player. We played baseball together, and I was really surprised when I saw him hit at first. We’ve been friends since elementary school, but it was only in high school that I saw him hit properly. He has a lot of power. His hitting technique is really good. I think he’s going to be really good.”

Jang Jae-young is no stranger to the batter’s box. In high school, Jang was also a hitter and was the number four hitter for the youth national team.

Jang also works on his defense.

“Jang Jae-young expressed his desire to play shortstop during his interview with the club, and the club decided to respect his wishes. However, considering the future of the team and the player’s growth potential, we will also prepare for the middle infield training proposed by the club.”

Na Seung-yup said, “He was also really good at shortstop. He runs fast and has a good shoulder. He has all the advantages as a fielder,” said Na.

Na is 3-for-3 in 22 games this season. In 14 games in May, he batted 3-for-48. When asked to rate Jang’s hitting ability on a scale of 100, he didn’t hesitate to give a thumbs up, saying, “120.”

He said, “When I pitch and do well, it hurts, and I think that’s why I’m so down. I think there was a lot of pressure because I came in with so much expectation,” he said, 안전놀이터 adding, ”I hope I can succeed as a hitter. It would be fun to see him at first base,” he said, expressing his sincere support for his friend’s new start.