ⓒ JoongAng Ilbo / JoongAng Ilbo Japanese version2023.02.14 09:45
The 29th WBSC U-18 (under 18) Baseball World Cup held in South Korea in September 2019 has become a hot topic for the appearance of a fastball pitcher. It was Aki Sasaki (currently 22 years old, Chiba Lotte), a right-handed pitcher that Japanese baseball is proud of.
Sasaki has been attracting attention since he was in high school, throwing a fastball of nearly 160 kilometers per hour. And he made his international stage debut at this tournament, which he participated in when he was in his third year at Ofunato High School.
The highlight was the match between Korea and Japan. Many scouts from Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and Major League Baseball, as well as those involved in the Korean baseball world, gathered at Hyundai Motor Dream Ball Park in Gijang, Busan to see the rumored super high school class fastball. In addition, about 100 reporters came from Japan and it was crowded.
However, Sasaki was not the hero of the game that day. Sasaki pitched one inning due to an injury, but South Korea’s starting right-hander Su Hyun-joon (3rd year student at Yushin High School, now 22 years old, KT Wiz) suffered 7 2/3 innings of 6 innings. He pitched well with 8 hits and 2 runs, contributing to a 5-4 victory.
Two pitchers from Korea and Japan, who faced each other for the first time in high school, will meet again on the big stage. They are both selected as national representatives at the World Baseball Classic (WBC) to be held next month, and are preparing for their second self-esteem showdown.
On the 14th (Korean time) during KT’s spring camp, Su Hyun-joon, who met at the Keno Sports Complex in Tucson, Arizona, said, “That was already four years ago.” I don’t have it, but I’ve been watching him pitching on video.I’m happy to see him again at the WBC.”
Born in 2001, the two players of the same age turned professional in 2020, the year after the U-18 World Cup. Su Hyun Jun was the first to stand out. After making his debut in 2020, he won 13 wins in the first year and became the Rookie of the Year. In 2021, he also protected the starting mound and contributed to KT’s integrated victory.
Sasaki, on the other hand, made his first-team debut a little later than Su Hyun-jun. His physique wasn’t good enough and he stepped on the professional mound for the first time in 2021. But then he showed potential. In the match against Orix on April 10, last year, he played a perfect game with no hits or four hits during nine innings. He became the youngest perfect game pitcher in Nippon Professional Baseball with his strong pitching without allowing 19 strikeouts.
Su Hyun-joon said, “I remember four years ago. Sasaki was thin and threw a fastball with a maximum speed of 163 kilograms.” We gave up 2 runs in the 7th inning and couldn’t become the winning pitcher, but I was really happy that we beat Japan.”
Nearly four years have passed, but Sasaki still played the leading role in winning the Korea-Japan match. Su Hyun-joon explained, “I watch Sasaki’s videos a lot. One reason is that it is interesting. I want to know how he throws such a fastball. He then gave him a thumbs up, saying, “Of course I saw the perfect game. The ball was really bleak. Great pitcher.”
Su Hyun-joon, who is about to face off with Sasaki again, is sweating for his WBC debut. Last month, he did self-training with Ko Yong-pyo (32, KT) and Won Tae-in (23, Samsung Lions) in Miami, Florida, USA, and recently increased his strength at KT Spring Camp. From the 15th, he will prepare for the WBC with the national team.
Su Hyun-joon said, “My condition hasn’t improved as much as I thought, but I’m still increasing the number of pitches as planned. .
This is the first time that he will wear the Taikyoku mark after his professional debut. Although he does not have a lot of experience, he has played in several national team matches such as the Korea-Japan match since he was in elementary school, and is more confident than anyone else. Su Hyun-joon said, “I’m finally starting to feel the reality because the call-up to the national team is approaching. I want to approach it with my thoughts,” he said.
