Masan Yongma High School won the cold game in the 10-17th round of the tournament against Bibong High School on the 21st. Jang Hyun-suk did not take the mound on the day. Jang Hyun-suk pitched as a relief pitcher against Gwangju Jinheung High School on the 19th and pitched well without losing a point with one hit, six strikeouts, and one walk in 3.1 innings.
As both teams spent their rest days, they can send ace pitchers Jang Hyun-suk and Hwang Joon-seo to the mound in the quarterfinals. The showdown between the two pitchers, who are considered No. 1 and No. 2 in the upcoming KBO League rookie draft in September, has been confirmed as fate.
In particular, Jang Hyun-suk plans to decide whether to advance abroad after the Blue Dragon Flag competition, drawing more attention to the results of the Masan Yongmago match. Jang Hyun-suk is known to be receiving keen attention from major league clubs in the U.S. recently. Jang Hyun-suk, who has the option of advancing to the Major League and nominating the KBO League, rarely reveals his inner thoughts.
After all, Jang Hyun-suk wants to make sure that his pitching at the Cheongnyonggi tournament is more attractive to Hanwha and Major League Baseball clubs. With the deadline for applying for the KBO League draft approaching on August 15, Jang Hyun-seok is expected to decide his career path soon. The quarterfinals against Jangchung High School, which has a favorite and rival Hwang Joon-seo, will definitely show Jang Hyun-suk’s true value.
Hwang Jun, like Jang Hyun-suk, seems to be drawing attention to the pitch he will show in the quarterfinals. If Jang Hyun-seok decides to advance to the U.S., Hanwha, which holds the top nomination rights, is likely to vote for Hwang Joon-seo. On the contrary, if Jang Hyun-seok stays, Doosan, which holds the second-ranked nomination right overall, can hold the long-dreamed “Du Jun-seo” in its arms.
As Shim Joon-seok (Pittsburgh Pirates) and Kim Seo-hyun (Hanwha) drew keen attention last year for their showdown with high school seniors’ monster pitchers, this year’s showdown between Jang Hyun-seok and Hwang Joon-seo is also hot. A number of scouts and reporters from domestic and foreign clubs are also expected to gather at Mokdong Stadium.
An official from a club scout said, “Given that Jang Hyun-suk has not clearly revealed his career path so far, he seems to be seriously considering entering the Major League.” “If Jang Hyun-suk goes abroad, there will be a big change in the nomination game for the first round,” he hinted.
Who will laugh in the quarterfinals between the two players. Both players dream of a happy ending that leads the team to the semifinals of the tournament with a good fight in the quarterfinals. It is expected that not only individual pride competing for the national No. 1 and 2 but also the team’s chance to win the national championship will be at stake.
BY: 스포츠토토핫