The 2024 KBO Rookie Draft is right around the corner. The atmosphere is getting more and more complicated in the head of the KIA Tigers, who have the overall number 6 in the first round. Above all, since there is no right to pick in the second round, the result of the first round nomination will inevitably become more important. Shim Jae-hak, head of the KIA, was also in deep agony ahead of the first nomination event after taking office.
Shim headed to Gwangju ahead of the Suwon KT WIZ match on August 23rd. This was because while the first team matches will be held in Suwon, another important match will be held in Gwangju. A practice game between the youth baseball team and the KIA Futures team was scheduled to take place at the Gwangju-Kia Champions Field this afternoon. However, this practice game was not held due to the cancellation of rain along with the news of nationwide rain.
Among the players in the youth national team, the player who will receive the most attention from the KIA is pitcher Dae-hyeon Cho (Gangneung High School). KIA exercises the right to pick the 6th overall pick in the first round. The current ‘TOP 2’ composition is Hwang Jun-seo (Jangchung High School) and Kim Taek-yeon (Incheon High School), and recently, Jeon Mir (Gyeongbuk High School) and Yuk Seon-yeop (Jangchung High School), Kim Hwi-gun (Hwimoon High School) and Cho Dae-hyun are in order. It is a highly rated atmosphere.
Gangneung High School pitcher Cho Dae-hyun is attracting attention as a candidate for the KIA 1st round nomination. Photo = Reporter Kim Geun-han
In a recent interview with MK Sports, Jo Dae-hyeon, who showed off his ‘double sword’ activity this year, said, “Honestly, it was very difficult for me to try to do dual wield. It was even more so because the weather was too hot recently. Both the overall record of the pitcher and batter were good, but personally, I think the pitcher was better in the end. I think it would be better to focus more on the pitcher than the hitter from now on,” he said, expressing his intention to put more weight on the pitcher in the future.
Next, Jo Dae-hyun said, “The nomination for a newcomer is coming in about a month, but if I was looking forward to it in the past, now I feel a little nervous. My pitching pace has fallen, but I want to join the youth national team and show good pitching again and get a more certain first round nomination. Until then, I will replenish my stamina and exercise harder.”
If Cho Dae-hyun appeared in the youth national team’s practice game on August 23, it would be like opening a showcase in front of Shim Jae-hak, the head coach. In addition, through the club’s own tracking system, Hawkeye, it was possible to closely examine Cho Dae-hyun’s pitching. That opportunity was unfortunately blown away by rain.먹튀검증
The KIA is expected to look at a wide range of right-handed pitcher candidates, including Cho Dae-hyun, Kim Hwi-gun, Won Sang-hyun (Busan High School), and Jeon Jun-pyo (Seoul High School), until the last minute.
Shim Jae-hak, head of the KIA, said, “Honestly, it is true that the burden of the first round nomination result is great because there is no right to be nominated in the second round. This is because most of the good players in the youth team are likely to be taken from other teams before our team’s third round nomination. Still, we are trying to select the best among the remaining players in our turn by carefully evaluating the best possible pitcher candidates. The scouting team and power analysis team are really struggling together.”
When KIA traded with Kiwoom Heroes last winter and gave them the right to pick in the second round, things got complicated in their heads. Attention is focusing on whether KIA will be able to succeed in the call by obtaining the most desired result in the first round nomination.
About the author