Participation in exhibition games + inclusion of opening entries"…Hanwha's Special Rookie's Stunning Target for Australia
Participation in exhibition games + inclusion of opening entries"…Hanwha's Special Rookie's Stunning Target for Australia
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"I want to play in an exhibition game. My goal is to be in the opening entry."
Hanwha Eagles' special rookie Jung Woo-joo promised to show his presence this season.
Jung Woo-joo left for Melbourne, Australia, where the first spring camp will be held, via Incheon International Airport on the 22nd. Those who will hold the camp in Melbourne until the 19th of next month will then move to Okinawa, Japan, for a second camp organized mainly for practice games.메이저사이트
Jung Woo-joo, a native of Konkuk University and Jeonju High School, is a right-handed pitcher who boasts a fiery fastball with a maximum speed of 156 kilometers per hour. He is 185 centimeters tall and weighs 88 kilograms, and contributed greatly to Jeon's victory in the blue dragon flag last year.
Jung Woo-joo, who was recognized for his great potential, was nominated by Hanwha as the second player in the first round of the 2025 rookie draft. Since then, he has stood out in the closing camp, and has proudly listed himself in the first-tier spring camp.
"I think I will realize it when I arrive in Australia. It's my first time to visit Australia," Jung said. "I have high expectations rather than concerns. If I encounter a wall, I will also be worried. I aimed to be included in the first-team spring camp list, but I was puzzled to see the list. Many people around me congratulated me," he said with a bright smile.
Participation in the closing camp held in Miyazaki, Japan, at the end of last year was very helpful.
"It was so hard. I was trying to gain weight, but I lost a little bit," Jung said. "I lost a lot of weight because of the systematic training compared to high school. It was the camp where I gained the most meaningful and meaningful things while playing baseball."
"(At the closing camp) I was guided a lot about breaking balls. I'm going to completely hone them in this spring camp," he said. "(Coaches) wanted to get something clear rather than throwing too many things. I'm going to do it one by one. I used to throw sliders, curves, splitters, and changeups, but I think I'll focus on curves, sliders and changeups instead of throwing splitter," he added.
Ryu Hyun-jin, who has a career-high 108 wins, 60 losses, one save and a 2.92 ERA in the KBO League, and a career-high 78 wins, 48 losses, one save and a 3.27 ERA in the U.S. Major League Baseball (MLB), is like an idol to Jung Woo-joo.
"I want to ask Ryu Hyun-jin about his sense of breaking ball. I also want to know how he throws the ball. I still feel like I'm watching him on TV. I just said hello to him earlier. (It's still difficult)," Jung said. "I have to approach him first, rather than waiting for him to approach me first. I will follow him around and ask him to buy me delicious things. That will help him grow."
He continued, "I want to learn the change-up grip (from Ryu Hyun-jin). He commanded the U.S. stage with change-up. I want to learn that."
Hanwha, including head coach Kim Kyung-moon, is showing keen interest in Jung Woo-joo. He will not rush or overdo it.
"It is clear that Jung Woo-joo is good. However, you should not expect too much from him. If you have too high expectations for a high school graduate when you join the team, it can be a burden. I want to send him out when I feel comfortable and see how he fights with the older guys," Kim said.
Jung Woo-joo also nodded, "My seniors always advised me not to overdo it before going to the camp. You might get injured. I'm keeping that in mind, too. I'm trying not to raise the pace too fast."
Jung Woo-joo is more likely to play as a bullpen pitcher this year than a starter. "Whether he plays as a bullpen pitcher or a starter, it is a great opportunity for me. I have played as a bullpen pitcher more than a starter since high school. I don't think it will be that difficult to adapt," he said.
Lastly, regarding his next goal, Jung said, "I want to participate in a trial game. My goal is to be included in the opening entry."