As the KBO Draft looms closer, players are beginning to submit their applications. Submitting his application is likely the number one selection, Jung Woo-Joo. He claimed to have submitted his application right after the President’s Cup. What was intriguing about this is that Jung received a strong offer from a team in the MLB, but he declined to stay and pursue an opportunity in the KBO.
Jung attended Jeonju High School in South Korea, where he began playing baseball in fifth grade. The right-handed pitcher pitched strongly throughout his high-school career, and his fastball has reached up to 94 miles per hour. In his team’s most recent Cup tournament, Jung threw in 13.2 innings, posting a 0.66 ERA, allowing six hits, walking five, striking out 24 batters, and recording a 0.80 WHIP.
In April 2024, he stated in an interview how he’d rather compete in the KBO before pursuing an opportunity in the MLB. Players tend to head to the KBO first before signing an MLB contract, noting that the signing bonus would not be as high as it could be after playing a few seasons in the league. After a game that featured top Korean high school and college players facing off against each other, Jung stated his strong commitment that he will indeed declare for the 2025 KBO Draft.
The KBO Draft will begin on September 11. It was originally scheduled for the 9th but was postponed due to the Asian Youth Baseball Championship. This game features many strong candidates for the draft. The Kiwoom Heroes will have the first pick, with the Hanwha Eagles at number two.
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