The bullpen of the Hanwha Eagles in professional baseball also shows signs of fatigue. In a situation where new blood is needed in the bullpen, 'super rookie' Jeong Woo-joo (19) announced his rebound in the Futures League.
On the 27th, Jeong Woo-joo contributed to Hanwha's 7-1 victory with a strong performance of 1⅓ innings with 1 hit and 3 strikeouts without allowing a walk during the 6th inning relief appearance in the 2025 Mediheal KBO Futures League held at Icheon Bears Park.
Starting the 6th inning with a comfortable lead of 7-0, Jeong Woo-joo, who took the mound, overwhelmed with a 'KKK' inning by striking out Park Ji-hoon looking, Kim Jun-sang swinging, and Lee Han-byeol swinging. He took the mound for multiple innings in the 7th. He allowed a single to lead-off hitter Choo Jae-hyun but induced a ground ball from Kim Dae-han to third base. Jeong Woo-joo threw 25 pitches before handing the mound over to the next pitcher, Lee Min-woo, with 1 out and 1 on. He threw fastballs with a maximum speed of 151 km/h and an average speed of 150 km/h, along with 17 fastballs, 6 sliders, and 2 curves.
Finding fastballs in the 150 km/h range is encouraging. After noticeably losing velocity and showing signs of fatigue this month, Jeong Woo-joo was sent down to the second team to recharge. Although he recorded a hold in the Futures League game against Goyang Heroes on the 24th after resting for 13 days, he struggled with 1 hit, 2 walks, and 1 run in 1 inning.
Although his highest fastball speed was 147 km/h and wasn't as good as when he's at his best, he announced his recovery by throwing fastballs in the 150 km/h range during the game against Doosan two days after getting some rest.
A right-handed pitcher, Jeong Woo-joo was selected by Hanwha as the second overall pick in the first round this year after returning from military service. He received a signing bonus of 500 million won. Noted as the best fireballer in high school, he made his debut with a hold on April 17 against SSG, throwing a fastball with a top speed of 156 km/h. He started as a relief pitcher but has steadily increased his importance as a setup man.
His performance this season stands at 29 games, with 2 wins, 3 holds, and an earned run average (ERA) of 4.81. While his ERA is high due to several games where he gave up runs all at once, he has shown impressive stuff with 32 strikeouts over 24⅓ innings and an opponent's batting average of .172. He gained experience in the first team with a smooth pitching form, showcasing a rock-solid fastball.
However, true to a 19-year-old rookie who has no experience in a full-time season, he began to lose strength gradually since the end of May, prompting Hanwha manager Kim Kyung-moon to give him rest. On the 11th, after excluding Jeong Woo-joo from the first team roster, manager Kim noted, "I was watching for the right timing to give him a break, and now is the time. It's better to rest before he gets hurt."
Sixteen days have passed since then, and as he has regained his condition from rest, a call-up to the first team is anticipated soon. After a reversal defeat on the 27th against SSG, where key pitchers Ju Hyun-sang, Park Sang-won, and Han Seung-hyeok gave up runs, Hanwha's once unbreakable bullpen has weakened somewhat. The tightness of many games has led to inevitable bullpen exhaustion. Closer Kim Seo-hyeon has also frequently been called upon to pitch multiple innings early in June. With the bullpen needing a new force, it's fortunate that Jeong Woo-joo has managed to elevate his condition in time.
Meanwhile, in the Futures League game against Doosan on the 27th, not only Jeong Woo-joo but also the relay pitching by Hanwha's pitchers shone brightly. Yang Seon-ryul, who joined Hanwha at the end of last month after being released by SSG and passing through the independent league, made a starting appearance, pitching 4 innings with 2 hits and no walks while recording 1 strikeout and allowing no runs, providing a winning foundation. Following that, Lee Tae-yang stopped the side in 1 inning with just 9 pitches, including 1 strikeout, earning a relief victory and lowering his ERA to below 1.00 (0.96) with 5 wins in the Futures League.
Right-handed pitcher Yoon San-heum, who returned after completing his military service, appeared in relief in the 8th inning, recording 1 inning with 3 hits, no walks, 2 strikeouts, and allowing 1 run. Although he gave up a run, he threw a total of 24 pitches, with a maximum fastball speed of 149 km/h and an average speed of 147 km/h with 12 fastballs, 7 curves, and 5 cut fastballs.
Yoon San-heum, who joined Doosan as a training player in 2019 but was released after the 2020 season, returned to the pro league as a Hanwha training player in June 2021 after passing through an independent baseball team. Up to 2023, he showed potential with a total of 47 games (39⅔ innings) in 3 seasons in the first team, recording 1 win, 1 loss, 3 holds, and an ERA of 3.18 with 51 strikeouts.
Despite his small frame of 178 cm and 75 kg, his pitching form, which twists his entire body back to squeeze out power, has become his trademark. With a baseball life that has overcome trials and a unique pitching form, he has been dubbed the 'romantic pitcher' by fans. After completing military service, he was discharged on the 17th and made his return to Hanwha with a scoreless inning and 1 strikeout against Goyang on the 24th, which was his first game back. His statistics in the Futures League this year are 16 games (16 innings), 2 wins, 1 save, 2 holds, and an ERA of 4.50 with 21 strikeouts. Given his good stuff, he is one of the candidates worth considering for a first team call-up for the fatigued Hanwha bullpen.
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