"It seems like it could reach 155km."
Park Jin-man, the manager of the Samsung Lions, expressed pride in the emergence of rookie left-handed pitcher Bae Chan-seung (19), who has been designated as a first-round pick in the 2025 Rookie Draft and throws over 150km. He has drawn attention since the spring camp and has continued to showcase his skills since the season opener. He has already accumulated 2 holds in 4 games, pitching 3⅓ innings, allowing 2 hits, 3 walks, and 1 earned run. He has recorded no earned runs in 3 games.
On the 1st, during a meeting at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field, Manager Park stated, "A proficient left-hander who can throw hard has come. There hasn't been a left-handed pitcher who competes with velocity for a while, but Chan-seung has joined. I think it's the first time a left-hander who can throw with velocity has come in since Kwon Hyuk. Until now, there truly hasn't been a left-handed pitcher with velocity on Samsung."
Kwon Hyuk joined Samsung in 2002 and was a representative hard-throwing left-handed pitcher, accumulating a total of 159 holds. He was part of the inseparable trio that led the Samsung dynasty along with closers Oh Seung-hwan, Kwon Oh-jun, and Ahn Ji-man. He also played for the national team. It's only natural to be pleased to see another hard-throwing left-hander for the first time since Kwon Hyuk, especially since he is a 19-year-old high school rookie.
"The feel is different from Kwon Hyuk. Chan-seung isn't very big in stature, but I feel he resembles KIA's Choi Ji-min. In hold situations, he can handle one inning regardless of left or right batters. Chan-seung even threw 152km in chilly conditions during the Doosan game. If he's scratched once, it seems like he could reach 155km. Of course, being a rookie, they will manage his innings and pitch count," he noted.
He continued to express satisfaction with the hard-throwing young guns, mentioning right-handers Lee Jae-hee and Lee Ho-seong as well. Lee Jae-hee, who returned after completing military service, has suffered 1 loss in 4 games but has contributed with 2 holds. Although Lee Ho-seong isn't in the winning group yet, he is showing potential with his velocity, recording an earned run average of 6.00 in 3 games.
Manager Park said, "With the addition of Bae Chan-seung and Lee Jae-hee, the bullpen has gained strength. Lee Ho-seong is also fine. His velocity is around 150km. Jae-hee and Ho-seong are currently clocking in at about 148-149km, but when the weather gets warmer, they will surpass 150km," displaying a bright expression. He is looking forward to a bullpen strategy that overpowers opponents with strength, along with Bae Chan-seung.
Samsung's starting rotation has strengthened with the addition of Won Tae-in and Reyes to the regular rotation. With the inclusion of hard-throwing young guns, the back end has also become solid. Manager Park expressed confidence, saying, "Until now, the bullpen has been more of a fitting type rather than one of velocity, which has been a bit burdensome. The starting rotation is returning to normal. If we can get through the sixth inning, we can bring in Chan-seung, Jae-hee, Lim Chang-min, and Kim Jae-yoon."
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