Arlington: A South Korean two-way prospect has signed with the Texas Rangers, hoping to become his country’s equivalent of the Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani. The Rangers announced in Arlington, Texas, on Sunday (local time) they had signed Gwangju Jeil High School senior Kim Seong-jun as an international free agent.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim’s Seoul-based agency, Leeco Sports Agency, confirmed Kim signed for US$1.2 million.
Kim, 18, is a shortstop and a right-handed pitcher. He is in the final year of high school and will graduate early next year in Gwangju. In 11 games this year, Kim is batting .333/.420/.595 with a home run, eight RBIs, and four steals. As a pitcher, he has a 2-1 record with a 3.24 ERA, along with 34 strikeouts in 25 1/3 innings in eight outings.
Last year, Kim recorded a .307/.445/.386 line with one home run, eight RBIs, and 13 steals in 28 games. As a pitcher in 2024, he went 3-1 with 47 strikeouts in 34 1/3 innings across 14 appearances. At his introductory presser, Kim expressed admiration for Ohtani, stating, “There is so much to learn from Ohtani, both on and off the field. I will do my best in both pitching and hitting and try to become a successful two-way player in Major League Baseball.”
Hamilton Wise, the Rangers’ senior director of international scouting and development, expressed excitement about acquiring Kim, describing him as “a world-class talent and also a world-class person.” Wise praised Kim’s defensive skills at shortstop, his performance in the batter’s box, and his abilities on the pitcher’s mound. He emphasized the team’s intent to develop Kim as a two-way player.
Kim is the fifth player from Gwangju Jeil High School to sign with a Major League Baseball (MLB) team. He follows in the footsteps of former Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Kim Byung-hyun, ex-Chicago Cubs infielder Choi Hee-seop, ex-New York Mets pitcher Seo Jae-weong, and former Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Kang Jung-ho. Kim Seong-jun is the first to sign directly out of Gwangju Jeil.
Kim decided to skip the KBO draft, opting to jump directly into American baseball to expedite his path to MLB. “It’s gonna be hard, not easy,” Kim said through an interpreter. “But I will do my best. I’m not going to regret anything at all.”
Listed at 185 centimeters and 83 kilograms by the Korea Baseball Softball Association, Kim’s fastball has reached 153 kilometers per hour (95.1 miles per hour), complemented by a curveball, a slider, and a splitter. Wise highlighted the support and resources the Rangers have in place for Kim, emphasizing the importance of players’ willingness to embrace the challenges of Major League Baseball.
“We have a ton of background on who he is as a person. He is a really impressive young man. So we’re very excited about that piece. It’s a big challenge, but if he conquers the transition, we have no doubt the talent will play out,” Wise added.