*This content was translated by AI.
A rookie who has not even made his KBO League debut yet has become an icon of a high school player. The target of the role model is Jang Chan-hee (19), a rookie for the Samsung Lions this year, and Lee Yoon-sung (18, Masan High School), one of the biggest left-handers, is targeting him.
Lee Yoon-sung met with Star News at Masan High School Baseball Stadium on the 26th and said, "As a player, I am using Jang Chan-hee of Gyeongnam High School as a role model. "I watched all the Masan Yongmago games, and it was really cool to be in charge of the game by myself on the mound," he said with strength.
He then said, "As a pitcher, I came deep to see how I can lead the game. That's why I wrote the word "Jang Chan-hee's mind" on my hat. Looking at it, I'm trying to throw it calmly like that on the mound. I don't have much friendship, but I talked to him a little when I was a freshman in high school. He was a really cool brother," he said.
The game he mentioned was the final match between Bonghwangdaegi Gyeongnam High School and Masan Yongma High School last year. At that time, Jang Chan-hee started and gave Gyeongnam High School a green boom for the first time in 22 years with one hit, one walk, and 12 strikeouts in eight ⅔ innings, including no-hit pitching in seven ⅔ innings.
Based on these achievements, he won the Bonghwangdae MVP and was nominated by the Samsung Lions as the 29th overall in the third round of the 2026 KBO Rookie Draft. He recently left for Okinawa, Japan, along with another rookie, Lee Ho-bum (18) who was also included in the first-team spring camp.
It is connected to what he still lacks in wanting to resemble Jang Chan-hee, whose strength is consistent profitability. Lee Yun-seong, who had been attracting attention by throwing up to 145 kilometers per hour since his freshman year, saw his speed rise to 152 kilometers last year. As with the players who were rapidly arrested, ball control anxiety was also accompanied. He had an ERA of 2.57 in six games and two walks and 10 strikeouts in six ⅔ innings when he was at Kaesong High School, but was shaken by seven strikeouts (six walks and one body) in six ⅓ innings in three games that he pitched for the first time in a long time after being suspended for six months (disciplinary action due to transfer during the season).
A KBO scout A said, "If you are greedy for arrest, you sometimes collapse in a balanced way. If the release point is not constant, the ball control shakes. Of course, if the speed is about 150 kilometers per hour, it is not easy for high school hitters to deal with," he said. However, despite ball control instability, Lee Yun-seong is an attractive left-hander who is paying attention not only to the KBO league but also to the Major League. Major League Scout B said, "In addition to the players called the big three, Masan High School's Lee Yoon-sung, Daegu High School's Jungil, and Yoo Shin-go's Lee Seung-won stand out."
It is classified as the top three left-handers who can be nominated in the first round along with Ha Hyun-seung (18) of Busan High School and Lee Seung-won (18) of Yoo Shin-go in the 2027 KBO Rookie Draft to be held later this year. Based on the Korea Baseball Softball Association (KBSA), it is 183cm tall and weighs 93kg, but it is evaluated that the rapid growth is impressive. It was helpful to spend a rewarding six-month suspension like Jung Woo-joo (20·Hanwha Eagles) two years ago.
Lee Yun-sung said, "Since the second grade (while I was resting), my friends have run a lot, so I trained a lot because I thought I had to work hard. As I did a lot of weight training and threw a lot of balls, I gained strength and speed came out well. I definitely feel like I've saved up my stamina as I rest. That's why it came out up to 152km in November last year, he said.
Since he has not played many games yet, he has a lot to show other than a fastball. KBO Scout A said, "I think I'm most confident with my fastball and slider. In the game I watched, the ratio of hitting the fastball was high compared to the speed limit, he said. "But I'm not a player who threw a lot yet, but this is the beginning." In addition, he has been a pitcher who throws softly and gives impact since his freshman year, so he is expected to grow. We will also check from this winter league," he explained.
The player himself is highly motivated. Lee Yoon-sung said, "I'm most confident in my fastball and slider at the moment, but I'm also practicing my left-handed batter opponent splitter. This year's first-round pick is my goal, and it may be difficult, but I'm also aiming for the first overall pick." At the same time, he said, "I personally don't think my control is too shaken. It has been established to some extent since the first year of high school while looking for a pitching form that suits me. However, there are times when a runner can't throw strikes in a row. I'm also training hard for PFP and paying attention to control to pitch more perfectly," he stressed.
The Busan boy, who grew up as a Lotte Giants fan, dreams of meeting Moon Dong-joo (23) and Kang Baek-ho (27, Hanwha Eagles). Lee Yun-seong said, "I like Moon Dong-ju. "It was cool to see him make a commitment or throw before going on the mound," he said. "When I go to the professional league, I really want to face Kang Baek-ho. He hit a home run from his first at-bat and left a strong impact on me. I also want to surprise my senior by throwing my ball confidently," he said.
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*This content was translated by AI.
