Korean MLB Casters on Hyun-suk Jang [Translation]

Hi guys, I’ve recently been posting a bunch of translated media/analysis in Korean to the /r/Padres subreddit. While doing my share of Ha-seong Kim and Padres posts, I’ve realized that there’s still a huge following for the Dodgers in Korea. With plenty of content that I felt Dodgers fans might enjoy, I’ll try and make posts for /r/Dodgers as well.

[Link to Video](https://youtu.be/qqNs_SuDeRY) (Titled “Korea’s top draft pick Jang Hyun-suk signs with the Dodgers”)

https://preview.redd.it/g9e65f5sa4hb1.png?width=704&format=png&auto=webp&s=a34a6dbd3432205c82238bc34878a22de957bcd5

Some Context :

\- Hyun-woo Lee (Left)

* Current MLB caster for SPOTV, MLB reporter/columnist/analyst
* Author of the column “[Lee Hyun-Woo’s MLB Today](https://blog.naver.com/hwl0501)”, host of the “[MLB Nation](https://www.podbbang.com/channels/6662)” podcast, runs the [Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/@mlbtv1801) channel “Lee Hyun-woo’s MLB Today”
* Very well-versed in stat-based analysis, and widely regarded by Korean MLB fans as the “numbers guy”

\- Sang-hyun Do (Right)

* Current baseball reporter for MBC+
* Co-host of the “[Baseball Lunch : Brunch](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDHIto3v5jKVLMaVlaMF-Gg)” podcast, author of the “[Baseball Workshop](https://yagongso.com/)” column

\- **Hyun-woo Lee has gracefully given permission to translate his content for third-party use. Big thanks to him and the Korean MLB cast for these posts.**

​

*I will boldface changes in topic material so you guys can navigate through the mountain of text a bit easier.*

**\[ Translation \]**

**Do : Today is August 9th, and instead of analyzing today’s games, we’re going to cover something else.**

Do : Just earlier today, Leeco Sports Agency announced that Korean prospect Hyun-suk Jang signed with the Dodgers.

Lee : From what the local LA press has said, it seems that Jang has signed with the Dodgers for 900k. As most of you may know, Jang attended Yongma Highschool\* in Masan (city in South Korea). He has received a lot of attention due to his outstanding pitching, and would have definitely been the #1 draft pick in Korea if he participated in the KBO draft.

(\*\*Yongma Highschool is one of few Korean highschools known for having a top-tier baseball program. Their baseball program dates back to 1936, and though they have never won a all-Korean highschool championship, they are a school that consistently makes quarterfinals/finals almost every year)

Do : From what I’m aware, a lot of other MLB teams have also tried to go for Jang, but it seems now the Dodgers won out at the end.

Lee : Through his agency, Jang said, “It is an honor to have signed with a prestigious team like the Dodgers, and I will try my best to improve myself as a player while wearing their uniform.”

Do : Jang has been chosen to be the first ever highschool player to be appointed as a starting pitcher in Korea’s Asian Game lineup. He will start preparing for the Asian Games held in Hangzhou, China in late September. Along with paperwork and preparation needed to go over to the US, he will most likely not participate in the local highschool league.

**Lee : Let’s go over Jang’s profile a little bit.**

Lee : Height : 190cm (6 ft 3 inches), 90kg (\~200 lbs). A right handed pitcher with a good physique. His highest recorded pitch velocity is 97.5mph, with his average velocity between 93\~95mph.

Do : Curveballs seem to be his pitch of choice, along with a slider and changeup in his arsenal. Though some people have said his sweeper is more like a slower slider, he also seems to use it effectively as well. Having such a pitch variety at a young age is definitely an upside.

Lee : A pitcher’s proficiency with breaking balls is something picked up over time, by experiencing game after game throughout his career. What’s important when you’re looking at young rookies like Jang are: 1) Overall physique, 2) Pitch velocity, 3) Pitch accuracy, and 4) RPM. Jang so far looks decent in all 4 departments.

**Do : Let’s take a look at Jang’s games this year.**

Do : Jang has played 9 official games this year, with 29 innings, 3 wins, no losses, an ERA of 0.93 and 52 strikeouts. What’s worrying is the fact that he has walked 16 batters over 9 games, 2 being HBPs.

Lee : That’s a rough average of 4.3 walks over 9 innings. But given Jang is a right-handed fireballer, there is definitely room for improvement. What really stands out is his number of strikeouts, which is roughly an average of 16Ks over 9 innings. Putting those numbers side to side, Jang secures at least quadruple the amount of strikeouts for every batter he walks.

Do : In addition, what we’ve also heard is that Jang has really improved his personal game-management during his senior year. Some scouters have gone as far as saying his ability to play his own game is much better than Korea’s recent #1 highschool pitching prospects.

Lee : One thing that’s also going for Jang is that he is confirmed to be on the Korean national team for the Hangzhou Asian Games. If the team is able to secure a gold medal, Jang will receive military exemption from the Ministry of Defense. While he hasn’t been exempt just yet, a lot of teams definitely had this in mind when looking out for Jang.

**Do : Some Korean fans have said that his contract was undervalued.**

Do : On his contract, I think this is happening because people are lacking some context. Given that Korean prospects like Byung-hyun Kim have signed for 2.2 million, and with some Korean rookies signing for at least over 1 mil, it is a valid thought.

Lee : First of all, we have to consider bonus pools. While the concept was present in the past, it was not enforced as strictly as it is today. Now, what is the international amateur bonus pool? In layman’s terms, it is a cap set on the total salary amount a team is allowed to pay while signing a rookie import. Teams are given a ceiling, and if they exceed said ceiling, they are given a penalty for the next 2 years that denies the team from signing any rookie imports for over 300k.

Lee : In the past, these penalties weren’t as strict. So in the past, teams with deep pockets could go on a rookie shopping spree if they wanted to. They would throw out 1 mil, 2 mil contracts to guys from, for example, Latin America.

Lee : Speaking of Latin America, Jang’s nationality also comes into play. A lot of rookies from Latin America work on their MLB contracts at the age of 16. For Koreans, that age is usually around 18.

Lee : Another factor is the fact that teams can only start using their bonus pool starting in January. What happens with a lot of Korean players is that once they’re done talking with KBO teams and have decided to shoot for the MLB during the summer, most MLB teams have already used up most of their pool money. It’s a cross-national difference that inevitably undervalues Korean rookie MLB contracts.

**Lee : Given this though, we can note how serious the Dodgers were in acquiring Jang. The Dodgers pulled their pool money from other teams, and basically went all-in on Jang.**

Do : Right. The Dodgers gave the White Sox two prospects in return for their international pool bonus, which was the only reason the Dodgers were able to pay Jang 900k. During June, the White Sox had 1.4 mil in their pool, with the Dodgers only having 6.5k.

Lee : What we can tell from this is that the Dodgers really, really wanted Jang. The thing about waiting for their pool to rest next January is the possibility of another team picking Jang up before then. Given that the pool money is allocated to teams cascading by their standings, waiting until January would make the Dodgers possibly paying Jang a whole lot more, while possibly competing with other teams in the process.

**Do : We’re seeing the trend of Korean players moving on to the MLB after kickstarting their careers in the KBO become a lot stronger recently. Especially with Ha-seong Kim, and what we’ve seen with Jung-ho Kang in the past.**

Do : There’s definitely outliers though, and I think that’s because players in the Minor League now have access to better facilities and conditions. To a point where it’s worth taking the risk.

Lee : Definitely. MLB scouters have definitely improved in terms of gauging Korean and Japanese prospects. In addition, the MLB has made very progressive strides in their farm system as well. In the chance that you do start off in the MLB and secure your spot in the team, it will definitely pay more dividends than playing for the KBO first.

Do : We definitely have to talk about the fact that of all the MLB teams, it was the Dodgers that acquired Jang. A team with a farm system and scouting ability regarded to be the best.

Lee : Simply said, the Dodgers have definitely made a name for themselves over the years with their ability to develop pitching talent. Jang will definitely synergize well with the Dodgers’ system.

Lee : One other upside is that Hyun-Il Choi is also pitching for the Dodgers in Single A+. Having a fellow countryman right next to you during your first few years abroad will also help Jang a lot.

Do : To summarize, Jang has taken on quite a big challenge by going straight to the MLB. With the legacy of Chan-ho Park and Hyun-jin Ryu, the Dodgers are still very familiar to us Korean MLB fans. The fact that Jang might now succeed their legacy, along with Hyun-il Choi by pitching in Dodgers Stadium, is something to look forward to.

Lee : All Korean players and rookies know that establishing themselves in the KBO prior to going to the MLB is a much safer and comfortable option. Jang has made his own personal decision to take on a challenge, and the best we can do is have his back throughout his MLB journey.

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I hope you guys enjoyed what Lee and Do had to offer. Though most of my translations have been related to the Padres, I’ll also work on more Dodgers-related stuff in the future. If you guys like what you read today, please feel free to let me know if you guys want more analysis-based content, or more “just talking” type of content. (Trust me, the Korean MLB cast have some very ***hot*** takes)

Thanks for plowing through all that text, I’ll see you all next time!