The shortstop compared to Deoksu Eom Jun-sang and Kang Jung-ho in this year's "Big 3" is an ace with a curve RPM of "close to 3000." "It's not that special."

*This content was translated by AI.

He is clearly qualified to be a large shortstop, but his appearance on the mound is also unusual. Eom Jun-sang (18) who is a third grader at Deoksu High School and is engaged in both pitching and batting is the main character.

Um Jun-sang is called a big three prospect along with Ha Hyun-seung (18) of Busan High School and Kim Ji-woo (18) of Seoul High School in the 2027 KBO Rookie Draft, which will be held in the second half of this year. Uniquely, all of the big three are both pitchers and batters, drawing attention. Among them, Um Jun-sang is considered by far the best in baseball sense.

A KBO club scout A recently told Star News on the phone, "Um Jun-sang is good at baseball. "The biggest strength is the strong shoulders that have excellent sensibility and can play shortstop," he said. Another KBO club scout, B, said, "Um Jun-sang is just good at baseball. Basically, the body is complete to some extent, and even in its current state, its strength and power are second to none. Usually, such a fit and powerful player throws the ball well, but he throws the ball well enough to wonder if this is right," he said.

Um Jun-sang has grown into a major player by playing in many games since his first year at prestigious Deoksu High School. Last year, in his second year, he led Deoksu to the Blue Dragon Open with a batting average of 0.344 (33 hits in 96 times at bat), two homers, 22 RBIs, 28 runs and three steals, 13 strikeouts (three balls on 15 walks) and an on-base-plus-slugging percentage of 0.443.

The scouts' opinion is that they are impeccable as batters. KBO scout A said, "Um Jun-sang has a good ability to cope with breaking balls at bat. It's hard to say that you have a perfect power tool. However, no player has power and is more accurate than this. He also knows how to adjust the timing according to the opposing pitcher. He praised it, saying, "He has a higher level of hitting skills than the same age group."

KBO Scout B also said, "The batting speed is quite fast, so you can hit a home run (compared to power). It was a little bad during the youth national team, but I think he was burdened because he was the only second grader in the central lineup. The opposing pitchers were also good, he said. "But the bat didn't fit, so I could see him swinging and practicing a lot alone. Given such grit, I think there is enough potential as a beast."

The most attractive part is the professional soft defense. Although reviews differ according to scouts in the range of defense and footwork, the sense itself as a shortstop, such as predicting and handling batting, agrees. KBO scout A said, "Um Joon-sang not only has strong shoulders, but also has very good throwing accuracy. As a shortstop, footwork can be liked or disliked. However, I think it can be covered by the ability to measure the bound and handling," he explained.

Kang Jung-ho (39) took this as an example. Kang Jung-ho was called an offensive shortstop in the KBO league. However, when he entered the U.S. Major League Baseball, he was classified as an All-Star shortstop who was above average in defense. KBO scout A said, "Kang Jung-ho was not a player with a brilliant footwork. He is a player with strong shoulders and good handling. Um Jun-sang is similar to Kang Jung-ho in that respect, he said. "If it doesn't work, we can have a corner infield, but it's right to start as a shortstop to save that shoulder."

So far, Um Jun-sang is a resource that needs to be raised as a shortstop. The rather ordinary physical condition of 184 centimeters tall, weighing 85 kilograms based on the Korea Baseball Softball Association (KBSA) also makes it look more suitable as a batter than a pitcher. However, scouts who saw "pitcher" Um Joon-sang last year all shook their heads, saying, "I'm rushing."

Last year, Um Jun-sang took the mound in 11 games with a 4-2 record with a 0.66 ERA, 5 walks with 37 strikeouts in 40 ⅔ innings, and WHIP (on-base allowed rate per inning) 0.68, despite his usual training of 9 fielders and 1 pitcher. The maximum speed reached 153 kilometers per hour, and sliders and curves are highly regarded. KBO Scout B said, "I have potential as a fielder, and it's also really good as a pitcher. The ball comes out of a certain release point while maintaining his balance, not throwing 150km/h with his whole body. I also felt more attractive as a pitcher, saying, "I have good control of the ball, so there are fewer balls that are crowded in the middle."

There was also an opinion that he should be raised as a starting pitcher with an excellent fingertip sense. KBO Scout A said, "It's the best at this point in terms of growth potential as a pitcher. It is a type that suits the starter more than the bullpen. It has a good sense and can also control the level. If we do it in earnest, I think we can use various breaking balls," he said.

"I throw curves, sliders, and change-ups, but I change my grip, so I know how to throw them. Curve RPM (rotations per minute) was also good enough to come out close to 3000 when I checked. However, if you are a pitcher, you are worried about your physical strength. Of course, I don't know yet because I'm a high school student who is growing up. It will depend on the way the team is nurtured," he added.

With his outstanding performance in pitching and batting, Um Jun-sang was selected for the U-18 youth team last year. He was the only second grader with Ha Hyun-seung. Based on his outstanding performance, he also won the Future Star Award in baseball at the "2025 Futures Star Awards" last year. As of January 2026, Um Jun-sang is a little more attracted to the beast. The scouts' evaluation also generally looked at the fielder's side positively.

KBO Scout B said, "It is true that my physical condition is a little disappointing as a pitcher. The length of both arms (rich) is also not long. However, the short Richie is rather attractive as a batter. If the reach is long, the body's adaptability may decrease, but rather short, it can be a strength, so I think it's good," he predicted positively.

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*This content was translated by AI.