Along with the fastball competition on the mound, the rapid growth of right-handed pitchers has emerged as a hot topic in professional baseball this season. Young right-handed pitchers such as Ahn Woo-jin and Moon Dong-ju have taken over the baton of left-handed aces who have led Korean baseball for over 10 years.
This is Reporter Bae Jeong-hoon.
<Reporter>
With the debut of ‘monster pitcher’ Ryu Hyun-jin in 2006, Kim Kwang-hyun and Yang Hyun-jong the following year, the era of ‘left-handed ace’ opened in Korean baseball.
From 2006 to last year, left-handed aces occupied the top ranks of pitchers with the most wins, while Cha Woo-chan, Jang Won-joon메이저놀이터, and Jang Won-sam played an active role as team aces.
But this year, the trend has definitely changed.
Kiwoom An Woo-jin, who is recording the highest average speed of 154.3 km per hour for fastball, Hanwha Moon Dong-ju, Doosan Gwak Bin, KT Ko Young-pyo, and Lotte Na Gyun-an, who became the first domestic players to break the 160 km per hour barrier It occupies the top rank of ‘Contribution’.
In general, left-handed batters who are strong against right-handed pitchers exceed 49%, the highest ever.
Most of them in their early and mid-twenties, they are expected to take over the baton of senior left-handed aces and lead a generational shift in the national team mound on the international stage starting this year.