Kim Taek-yeon (19), a promising pitcher who was selected by Doosan as the second overall pick in the first round of the 2024 KBO rookie draft
received a ‘pitching ban’ after joining the team during the Icheon closing camp in November last year.
Doosan began protecting Kim Taek-yeon early on due to the abuse controversy that arose during the U-18 Baseball World Cup in September last year,
when he was a third year student at Incheon High School. He cares for it with care, as if it were a treasure. 카지노사이트랭크
At the Baseball World Cup held in Taipei, Taiwan, Kim Taek-yeon pitched for five consecutive days.
Although 4 consecutive fights are not possible under the competition regulations, he had 5 consecutive fights due to the rainy suspended game overlapping.
It started with a relief win against Puerto Rico in the group stage on September 6-7, with 21 pitches in 1⅔ innings and 19 pitches in 1⅓ innings over two days, with a total of 40 pitches and no runs in 3 innings.
He then threw 16 pitches in 1⅓ innings against the United States in the Super Round on the 8th, and 24 pitches in 1 inning against the Netherlands on the 9th, and on the 10th,
he became a starter and pitched a complete game with 98 pitches in 7 innings.
He took the mound for five consecutive days and threw a total of 178 pitches in 12⅓ innings.
ppearing on the mound 7 out of 9 days during the entire tournament, 6 games, 16 innings, 245 pitches. The 18-year-old pitcher threw too many pitches. Kim Taek-yeon,
who led Korea to a bronze medal by pitching well with a fastball of up to 152 km and an ERA of 1.13 with 2 wins and 1 save, received praise, but national team coach Lee Young-bok could not avoid public criticism.
Kim Taek-yeon, who joined Doosan during the Icheon finishing camp in November, did not pitch but focused on management through catch ball, defensive training, and weight training.
In the rookie camp that followed, he gave his arm and shoulder a rest and focused on participating in the spring camp held in Sydney, Australia next month.
Kim Taek-yeon, whom I met during KBO rookie training on the 9th, said, “I have been taking a break from pitching since the national team ended in September.
He got plenty of rest, and I think the club was considerate. He looked back and said, “During the closing camp, coach Lee Seung-yeop told me,
Never overexert yourself,’ so he was able to control his pace with a grateful heart.”
Although he has been banned from pitching all winter, he is not wasting any time. He said, “I am focusing on improving my splitter and curve perfection with breaking balls.
In high school, when facing left-handed batters, I only threw backdoor sliders and fastballs to the left and right, but in the pros,
I felt that I needed balls that move away from left-handed batters, such as reverse changeups or splitters.
He has good contact and must have those weapons when dealing with senior left-handed hitters with good power. “He rested and studied a lot of breaking balls,” he said.
Kim Taek-yeon dominated batters with a combination of fastball and slider in high school,
but there are many left-handed hitters who are good at hitting in the pros.
It is a league that is difficult to endure if you do not have a weapon against left-handed hitters.
What stands out is that Kim Taek-yeon recognizes this and prepares for it.
I have been watching and referencing the splitter video of Japan’s Yoshinobu Yamamoto (LA Dodgers)
who entered the major league with the highest treatment ever for a pitcher (12 years, $325 million).
I really like Yamamoto’s pitching style and wanted to emulate it, so I looked into splitter grips and throwing methods.
There is also a splitter grip that Coach Park Jeong-bae taught me during the finishing camp.
He is trying various grips to find the one that suits him best. Taek-yeon Kim said, “
The pitch tunnel is important, and it would be good to be able to throw a splitter that moves quickly and then falls like Yamamoto.”
Kim Taek-yeon was confirmed to participate in the first team spring camp early on. He, who is expected to show his full strength immediately from the bullpen, said, “If I go to the bullpen, I want to finish.
“It’s meaningful to me, and it’s a position I want to try,” he said. “I also have a desire to be selected.”
He also felt the appeal of pitching long innings. However, positions should be tailored to the needs of the team,” he said.
The most important thing is health. Taekyeon Kim said, “Even when I go to camp, I will throw at my own pace.
I try not to overdo it, no matter who is filming the video or the director is watching it,” he said.
“My goal is to get through one season without getting sick.” Before that, I want to become a member of the first team’s opening lineup and receive the Rookie of the Year award, which is a goal for any rookie.
I’m not doing this with my eyes on the prize, but I will do it with that goal in mind. Even if he is ranked 1st or 2nd,
there is no guarantee that he will do well. “Rather than being conscious of others, I will go with my own goals in mind,” he pledged.