Miami Marlins minor league pitcher Sim Jun-seok (21) recorded a save in his first appearance of the Rookie League season.

On the 10th (Korean time), Sim Jun-seok, who is part of the Miami's Rookie team FCL Marlins, entered the game in the 9th inning against the FCL Cardinals (affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinals) at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Florida, allowing one walk but managing to finish scoreless without any hits, securing a save.

With the team leading 8-6, Sim Jun-seok, who came to the mound as the sixth pitcher in the top of the 9th inning, easily recorded two outs by getting Andrew Arthur to pop out to left field and turning Jairo Padilla into a ground out to second base. Although he allowed a walk to Raineal Rodriguez, catcher Jessada Brown thwarted a stolen base at second, ending the game. This marked Sim's first official save in the United States.

This game marked Sim Jun-seok's first appearance in the minor league in 634 days since Aug. 15, 2023, when he was with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Last year, he was placed on the injured list due to right shoulder pain, and after being traded to Miami on July 30, he was unable to return for the remainder of the season, spending a long time in rehabilitation.

After the season, he made his competitive return in the Arizona Fall League. In six games, he pitched five innings, allowing 11 hits (one home run), issuing 12 walks, hitting two batters, striking out five, and finishing with an earned run average of 19.80. Despite the lengthy injury layoff, his performance was disappointing, and he fell out of the top 30 in the Miami prospect rankings.

Starting this year in the Rookie League, Sim Jun-seok did not pitch in the first three games following the season's opening on the 6th. However, he succeeded in his first save opportunity, pitching scoreless.

Sim Jun-seok was regarded as the top pitching prospect who was dubbed a prodigy during his time at Deoksu High School. Standing at 193 cm and weighing 97 kg, he showcased his right-handed fastball reaching up to 153 km/h since his first year. Although he faced injuries to his elbow, back, and toes during his second and third years of high school, he increased his top speed to 157 km/h, attracting interest from Major League scouts. In September of that year, Sim, who forfeited his application for the 2023 KBO Rookie Draft, signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates for a signing bonus of $750,000 in January 2023.

However, he did not achieve notable results after joining the team. In his first year in 2023 with the Rookie team FCL Pirates, he made four appearances (four starts, 8 innings) and recorded an earned run average of 3.38 with 13 strikeouts. Due to pain in his right chest, he was limited in his appearances, and as shoulder injuries prolonged last year, the Pirates used Sim Jun-seok as a trade chip. They acquired outfielder Bryan De La Cruz, sending infielder Garrett Forester and Sim to a rebuilding Miami.

Had Sim Jun-seok not pursued his challenge in the United States, he would have been a clear first overall pick in the 2023 Rookie Draft. At that time, Hanwha Eagles, who held the first overall pick, selected pitcher Kim Seo-hyun from Seoul High School. Up until his second year, Sim Jun-seok was rated much higher, but in his third year, Kim Seo-hyun rapidly grew as a rival, and Hanwha did not regret selecting Kim Seo-hyun despite Sim's move to the U.S.

Kim Seo-hyun, who experienced severe growing pains due to control issues until mid-last year, established himself as a critical reliever after meeting manager Kim Kyung-moon and pitching coach Yang Sang-moon in the second half of the season, and this year, he has exploded with potential as a top closer. He has appeared in 22 games (20⅔ innings), recording one loss, 12 saves, one hold, with an earned run average of 0.87 and 19 strikeouts. Gaining confidence with bench trust, he overcame control anxiety, continually demonstrating his power with a top speed of 161 km/h and a combination of a sharp slider and a high-speed changeup.

Kim Seo-hyun, who turned down Major League offers during his senior year in high school and aimed for the KBO League, is finally shining in his third year. In contrast, Sim Jun-seok has faced a career filled with injuries even in the U.S. Although he still has a long way to go in the Rookie League, he is still young at 21. With his first save marking his season debut, attention is drawn to whether light will shine on Sim Jun-seok's career.

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