As we approach the Korean Baseball Organization’s (KBO) playoffs, each team’s bullpen will be immensely important in helping their squad make a deep run. These are the top five closers in the KBO currently.
5. Park Yeong-hyun – KT Wiz
At just 20 years old, Park Yeong-hyun has been terrific at closing out games for the KT Wiz. Yeong-hyun has 24 saves this year for the Wiz and has an unbelievable record of 10 wins and two losses. The right-handed closer has a solid 3.47 ERA in 70 innings of work. The main problem that Yeong-hyun has had all season is he is prone to giving up home runs. The South Korean closer has given up 12 home runs this season. If Yeong-Hyun can minimize the number of home runs he gives up, he will be the most dominant closer in the KBO.
The Lotte Giants have been horrific this year. They currently have the third-worst record in the KBO. However, Kim Won Jung has been one of the few positive storylines for the Giants this year, boasting an impressive 3.32 ERA. The 31-year-old closer has the fourth most saves in the KBO this year with 22. Additionally, the right-handed closer is physically imposing on the mound. The six-foot-four South Korean strikes out tons of batters. Moreover, Won Jung is terrific at keeping the ball in the park, only giving up four home runs in 57 innings of work.
Jung Hai Young has 30 saves this year as the closer for the Kia Tigers. The 23-year-old right-handed closer has been a reliable option for the Tigers when finishing out games. Hai Young has an impressive 2.63 ERA this year and has only given up 46 hits in 48 innings of work. The South Korean native has the most saves in the KBO this year and will play a major role in helping the league-leading KIA Tigers win a championship this year.
Hanwha Eagles have struggled this year, sitting seven games under .500. With that being said, their right-handed closer has had a great 2024 season. Joo Hyun Sang has 20 saves this season and boasts an exceptional 2.37 ERA. The 31-year-old South Korean pitcher is extremely hard to hit, only giving up 45 hits in 64.2 innings of work. Although this does not look like the year that the Hanwha Eagles make a deep playoff run, Hyun Sang has solidified himself as one of the best pitchers in the KBO.
At 19 years old, the South Korean teenager Kim Taek Yeon has been exceptional throughout the 2024 regular season. The right-handed closer has the best ERA out of all the full-time closers in the KBO with a 2.09. Taek Yeon has 17 saves this season and has only given up two home runs in 60.1 innings. Taek Yeon has been the most consistent and reliable closer in the KBO this year and fully deserves to be ranked first on this list despite the Bears being a game under .500.
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WBN KBO: https://worldbaseball.com/league/south-korea/
Photo Credit: A detail shot of a KBO baseball during the 2024 Seoul Series game between the San Diego Padres and the LG Twins at Gocheok Sky Dome on Monday, March 18, 2024 in Seoul, South Korea. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
