The Best Thrower in KBO

Kim Kwang Hyun was one of Korea’s top pitching prospects. He had a modest pro debut after signing with Wyverns for 500 million won as a first-round pick. He went 3-7 with a 3.67 ERA in his rookie season. Immediately Sophomore Kim Kwang Hyun had put together a breakout season in his second year and established himself as top hurler in KBO. He plowed through the league with a leading 16-4 record and 150 strikeouts in 162 innings pitched, and finished second with a 2.39 ERA. In a three-year stretch from 2008 to 2010, Kim was once considered a force on the mound and seemed to have a bright future ahead of him. Since then Kim appears to be halted by a string of injuries. He has been a major disappointment in the past two seasons after pitching well in 2010. He posted a combined 12-11 record in 156 innings with a 4.56 ERA, 1.51 WHIP and 4.67 BB/9. Kim’s average fastball velocity dropped from 143.6km/h in 2010 to 141.6km/h in 2012.

The Next Great Import from Korea?

Hyun Jin Ryu’s most significant achievement might be making Korean Baseball Organization respectable in the eyes of Major League Baseball, like Hideo Nomo to Japan, when all is said and done. So who is going to be Korean’s Shigetoshi Hasegawa? My best guess is Suk Min Yoon.

Suk Min Yoon is arguably the most highly regarded right-handed pitcher in Korea today. He achieved pitcher’s triple crown in 2011 with 17 wins, a 2.45 ERA and 178 strikeouts in 172- 1/3 innings. Yoon will be eligible for free agency this off-season. If signed, he will be more likely to become the second player to make a direct jump from KBO to the majors. Yoon pitches to both sides of the of plate with a 88-92mph fastball that touches 96. Below is Yoon’s average fastball velocity from 2009 to 2012: