Rookie draft ‘point to watch’, will the name ‘Beast’ be called in the first round? [SS Focus]

 The time has come to choose the future of the 10 KBO League clubs. The 2024 KBO rookie draft will be held on the 14th. It is said to be a ‘plenty of pitchers’. There are that many good pitchers. So, conversely, ‘Beast’ also attracts attention. I am interested in whether a player will be selected in the first round.

The 2024 KBO Rookie Draft will be held at the Westin Chosun Seoul Grand Ballroom in Jung-gu, Seoul at 2 p.m. on the 14th. In a full draft format, 10 clubs will nominate 11 players each from the 1st to 11th rounds.

Additional players may join as reported players, but the default is 110. In general, the employment rate is around 10%. Players considered to be top players in high school, college, and independent leagues are challenging themselves to become pros.

As expected, attention is bound to be focused on the pitcher.메이저놀이터 There are a lot of good pitchers in this draft. Hwang Jun-seo (Jangchung High School) is the strong first-choice candidate, and Kim Taek-yeon (Incheon High School) is the opponent. He left a strong impression at the World Youth Baseball Championship.

In addition, Jeon Mir (Gyeongbuk High School), Yuk Seon-yeop (Jangchung High School), and Kim Hwi-geon (Whimoon High School) are also considered players who will be called to the top. Some evaluate it as the ‘Big 5’.

It’s not the end. Kim Yun-ha (Jangchung High School), Cho Dae-hyun (Gangneung High School), Won Sang-hyeon (Busan High School), and Jeon Jun-pyo (Seoul High School) are also pitchers likely to be selected at the top. In addition, there are also Yuk Cheong-myeong (Gangneung High School), Jo Dong-wook (Jangchung High School), Son Hyun-ki (Jeon High School), and Hong Yu-won (Daegu High School).

There was an early assessment that ‘all 10 clubs can take a pitcher who throws at 150 kilometers per hour in the first round.’ That’s how good the pitcher pool is.

But again, I don’t know. It is natural to select good players, but it is also important to bring in ‘players that the team needs.’ In other words, it doesn’t necessarily have to be a pitcher. The possibility that the beast’s name will be called early cannot be completely ruled out.

The players considered to be the best fielders are Yeo Dong-gun (Seoul High School) and Park Ji-hwan (Segwang High School). These are players competing for first or second place in the high school shortstop rankings. If you go to the outfield, there is ‘Red Clay Colt’ Lee Seung-min (Whimoon High School). He is the son of Samsung head coach Lee Byung-gyu.

In the first round, Kiwoom will exercise two nomination rights. By sending Choi Won-tae to LG, they obtained first-round picks along with Lee Joo-hyung and Kim Dong-gyu. Kiwoom selects the 8th and 9th picks in the first round.

In addition, 2 cards (6th and 9th positions) are used in the 2nd round, and 2 cards (4th and 9th positions) are used in the 3rd round. It is possible to use one of the two first round picks as a fielder. Considering Kim Hye-sung’s possibility of advancing overseas, reinforcement of fielders is necessary.

There is also a possibility that KT, which holds the 7th pick in the first round, will also nominate a fielder. The infield is comprised mainly of veterans. Kim Sang-su, born in 1990, is actually the youngest. Shim Woo-jun will be discharged from the military in July 2024, but he was also born in 1995 and will be 29 years old when he returns.