Seoul: High school pitcher Park Jun-hyun, son of former star third baseman Park Sok-min, was chosen first overall at the annual South Korean baseball draft. The junior Park, a senior pitcher for Bugil High School in Cheonan, was picked by the Kiwoom Heroes at the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) draft.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the 18-year-old right-hander has demonstrated impressive performance with a 2.63 ERA in 40 2/3 innings this season, accumulating 54 strikeouts against 14 walks and a 2-1 record. His fastball has reached speeds of 157 kph. Park's father, a celebrated third baseman, played 20 seasons in the KBO, securing five Korean Series titles with the Samsung Lions and a sixth with the NC Dinos. Park Sok-min was awarded Golden Gloves in 2014 and 2015 and concluded his career with notable statistics, including 269 home runs and 1,041 RBIs.
Despite earlier allegations of bullying against Park Jun-hyun, which were dismissed due to insufficient evidence, the Kiwoom Heroes expressed confidence in their choice. They stated that if Park had concerns about these accusations, he might have opted for an offer from Major League Baseball's Athletics instead of entering the KBO draft. Park completed a form asserting his innocence regarding any school misconduct.
The draft also saw significant selections, with Kim Seong-jun and Moon Seo-jun joining the Texas Rangers and Toronto Blue Jays, respectively, making Park a clear choice for the top pick. The NC Dinos selected infielder Shin Jae-in with the second pick, recognized as the leading hitting prospect, while center fielder Oh Jae-won went third to the Hanwha Eagles. Other notable picks included pitchers Shin Dong-kun and Kim Min-jun, chosen by the Lotte Giants and SSG Landers, respectively.
Further selections included Park Ji-hun by KT Wiz and Kim Ju-oh by Doosan Bears. The LG Twins picked Yang Woo-jin, and the Samsung Lions drafted Lee Ho-beom. The Kia Tigers, following a trade with the Heroes, selected Park Han-gyeol to complete the top 10. A record number of four position players were chosen in the first round of the draft.