Kiwoom Heroes Young Gun Jang Jae-young (21) achieved the most innings pitched since his professional debut.안전놀이터
Jang Jae-young started in the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League Doosan Bears home game held at Gocheok Sky Dome on the 23rd and recorded 4 hits, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts and 1 run in 5 innings. On this day, Jang Jae-young cooked a Doosan batting line with a mix of fastballs up to 152 km, curves, and sliders.
This is the first time Jang Jae-young, who made his professional debut in the 2021 season, threw 5 innings in the first team. His previous most innings was 4 innings against the Gocheok LG Twins on April 6th. He once threw 7 innings in the 2nd team, but seldom pitched 5 innings in the 1st team, but on this day, he finally crossed the wall.
Jang Jae-young, who has been attracting attention since his amateur days by throwing fastballs approaching 150 km, was nominated by Kiwoom in the 1st rookie draft in 2021 and entered the pros with splendor. Expectations for Jang Jae-young were so great that Kiwoom received 900 million won as a down payment.
However, Jang Jae-young could not easily establish himself in the first team. Every time he started, he was caught in the hunt for his first pitch. No matter how fast the ball is, he can’t work in the first team if he doesn’t become the first pitcher. Jang Jae-young started only 19 games in his debut season and 14 games last season.
This season, he showed improvement in the exhibition game and received the opening as a starter.
Even in the 2nd group, Jang Jae-young struggled with control, but he endured with crisis management skills, recording 3 wins and an average ERA of 1.67 in 6 games. And on the 4th, I was called back to the 1st team to fill the gap in the starting lineup.
Jang Jae-young, who returned, has changed. He gave up 2 runs in 3 innings against SSG Landers on the 4th, but scored 3 scoreless innings against KT Wiz on the 11th, and also pitched 3⅓ scoreless innings against Hanwha Eagles on the 17th. Kiwoom coach Hong Won-ki hoped that Jae-young Jang would find his senses by digesting fewer innings, but he is showing a gradual improvement.
Coach Hong said ahead of the game that day, “I will entrust Jang Jae-young with more innings and pitches than in previous games,” and Jang Jae-young reciprocated his trust.
Jang Jae-young, who pitched scoreless until the second inning without a major crisis, faced a crisis in the third and fourth innings in a row, but minimized the loss with one point. Jang Jae-young, who came to the mound in the 5th inning, completed the mission 100% by making a tripartite inning.
Although he did not get a chance to win his first professional debut because he did not receive support from other players, it was more meaningful that he pitched much better than before. Coach Hong, who said, “It will help both the players and the team if they show improvement in each game,” also smiled brightly.