“We’re going to give both pitchers and hitters a chance. We look forward to their future growth.”
Jeon “Jeon Tani” Mir (Gyeongbuk High School) ended up in the arms of the Lotte Giants.
Lotte selected Jeon in the first round of the KBO First-Year Player Draft on Thursday. Lotte general manager Sung Min-kyu called out Jeon’s position as “pitcher and hitter” at the time of his selection.
Jeon was the hero of Gyeongbuk High School’s first Cheongryonggi championship in 30 years this year. He excelled as both a pitcher and a hitter, especially in the round of 16 against Deoksugo, where he gave up two runs in 7⅓ innings, and in the quarterfinals against Gangneung, where he pitched a no-hitter in 7⅔ innings.
He was unable to pitch in the quarterfinals and finals due to Amaya Baseball’s pitch count rules. However, in the final game against Mulgeumgo, he literally sealed his team’s fate with a leadoff double.
The MVP of the Cheongnyonggi was, of course, Jeon Mir. Jeon’s name, Mir, means dragon in Korean, which makes it even more meaningful.
He is 1.88 meters tall and has a muscular, athletic build. He has a fastball that reaches over 150 mph and a slider in the 130 mph range. His biggest strength is his tireless stamina to match his athletic build. As a hitter, he has a power swing that pulls hard, much like Noh Si-hwan (Hanwha) and Park Dong-won (LG).
Scouts are more impressed with his pitching than his hitting. He has a 150+ mph fastball and a heavy delivery, and while he can be used in the bullpen relatively quickly as a pitcher, he needs time to develop as a hitter. However, with enough time, he has the potential to develop into a big leaguer.
Lotte hitting coach Park Heung-sik has coached Gyeongbuk High School players in the past as an instructor. When we met at Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, he said, “I knew Gyeongbuk High would do well this year. They had a lot of good talent,” he recalled.
In addition to Jeon, Gyeongbuk High School also received professional designations from Lim Jong-seong (Doosan 3rd round), Kim Se-hoon (Hanwha → NC 7th round), and Kim Jun-won (NC 10th round).
Coach Park said, “Jeon Mir has good strength and outstanding talent. He wasn’t always a tall player, but now he has a solid physique. However, he will need time to adjust to the professional game.” He added that despite growing up in a wealthy family, he is a player with a heavy sense of responsibility, a strong competitive spirit, and grit.
“At this point, Im Jong-sung is a really good player. Doosan took him well,” he said, adding, “Kim Se-hoon and Kim Jun-won are also players with good fundamentals.”
However, another baseball insider at the event said, “Jeon Mir has a 150-kilometer fastball and a good changeup. He will need time as a hitter, but if the bullpen is the standard, he can play in the first team next year.” Lotte is giving Jeon plenty of opportunities to play both sides of the plate, and it’s a chance to develop him for the long haul.먹튀검증
In addition to Jeon, Lotte also selected “Strongest Baseball” pitcher Jung Hyun-soo (Songwon University), infielder Lee Ho-joon (Daegu Sangwon High School), pitcher Park Jun-woo (Yushin University), infielder Kang Sung-woo (Cheongju University), pitcher Park Sung-joon (Hwimun High School), outfielder Lee Sun-woo (Duksugo University), outfielder Ahn Woo-jin (Hwimun University), outfielder So Han-bin (Seoul High School), pitcher Jeon Ha-won (Seoul Automobile University), and outfielder Yoo Jemo (Dongwon University of Science and Technology).
The second-round pick, Jeong Hyun-soo, drew the most attention from fans. A club representative said, “The first through third rounds are usually reserved for players with an immediate sense of power or potential that cannot be overlooked. Jeong is a left-handed pitcher who can be utilized as a bullpen for next year.”
Acting Lotte manager Lee Jong-woon said, “I watched some TV earlier, but I don’t really know. We can’t afford rookies right now. We must have picked a good player,” he said.