"Moon Dong-ju Possesses Destructive Power": LG's 6th-Round Right-Hander Praised by Yeom Kyung-yeop, 1.35 ERA in Futures League... Scouts Wonder: Starter or Reliever?

*This content was translated by AI.

Two years ago, Park Si-won (20), a promising right-handed pitcher from Gyeongnam High School, was a subject of debate among LG Twins scouts at the time of the draft.

Park made regular appearances from his freshman year at Gyeongnam High, recording 5 wins and 3 losses in 19 games with a 3.48 ERA, 62 innings, 30 walks and hit-by-pitches (20 walks, 10 hit-by-pitches), and 73 strikeouts. He was praised for his powerful fastball and sharp slider, which stood out despite his sturdy build of 193 cm and 93 kg.

Due to an unstable pitching balance that made control difficult, he was not selected in the early rounds. Opinions among LG scouts briefly diverged ahead of the draft. However, LG scouts focused on his stamina, noting he could still throw pitches exceeding 150 km/h after 5 innings and 70 pitches. Park Si-won ultimately donned the LG uniform as the 6th-round pick.

After joining the team, Park caught the attention of LG manager Yeom Kyung-yeop (58), who places high value on data. Manager Yeom emphasized in February during the Japan spring camp, "I never ignore numbers. But looking at TrackMan data, Si-won is better than Young-woo. His fastball RPM (revolutions per minute) exceeds 2,500, and the numbers are excellent."

As a result, Park was classified as a key resource for LG's future pitching staff alongside Kim Young-woo (20), a right-handed fireballer selected in the first round that year with a 156 km/h fastball. Park was also included in the Korean Series roster last year and earned a championship ring.

The manager's trust in young fireballers remained unwavering. Manager Yeom stated during a spring training game against Suwon KT Wiz last month, "To be a starter, you need innate talent. Players born with such talent, like Son Min-han and Yoon Sung-hwan, have a high probability of succeeding as starters. One must possess at least 50% of that inclination."

Park Si-won was cited as an example. Manager Yeom said, "Park Si-won currently lacks control as a starter, but he has the inclination to become one. He may initially be used in relief, but he must eventually transition to the starting rotation. If he develops well, he could possess destructive power comparable to Moon Dong-ju."

The starter development journey of another powerful right-handed fireballer continues this year. Currently undergoing starter training, Park Si-won recorded 4 innings (72 pitches), 3 hits allowed, 3 walks, 5 strikeouts, and a scoreless performance in a road game against the Army (Sangmu) team at Moon Gyeong-si (SVP) Baseball Stadium in Gyeongsangbuk-do on the 19th during the 2026 Medihill KBO Futures League regular season.

His Futures League season statistics are as follows: 4 games, 1.35 ERA, 13⅓ innings, 9 walks and hit-by-pitches (7 walks, 2 hit-by-pitches), 14 strikeouts, and a batting average against of 0.152. According to an LG club official, Park threw 72 pitches that day, including 51 fastballs, 14 sliders, 4 changeups, and 3 curveballs. His fastest fastball reached 149 km/h.

The game revealed both strengths and weaknesses. Park gave a walk to leadoff hitter Jeong Eun-won and allowed a ground ball single to Jung Jun-young. Park Han-kyul was also sent to first base via a walk following a wild pitch, loading the bases.

The strength LG had hoped for shone in a crisis situation. Park forced a swinging strikeout against Jeon Ui-san after a full count battle going to nine pitches. He also struck out Kim Ho-jin with a swinging strikeout starting from a 2-ball, 0-strike count and retired Kang Sung-woo on a fly ball to center field with one pitch, allowing no runs.

In the bottom of the 2nd inning, he finished the frame with just six pitches, including a three-pitch strikeout of Lee Sang-hyeok. In the top of the 3rd, he recorded an out on a fly ball to center field against Jeong Eun-won, but gave a straight fastball walk to Jung Jun-young and a ground ball single to Park Han-kyul. However, he struck out Jeon Ui-san again with a swinging strikeout and, despite facing a two-out, bases-loaded crisis due to a catcher's throwing error, retired Kim Ho-jin on a fly ball to second base, maintaining a scoreless inning.

He displayed powerful stuff again in the 4th. Park retired Kang Sung-woo on a ground ball to third base and allowed a middle-field single to Kim Sung-woo. He fielded a ground ball hit by Lee Sang-hyeok and threw to first base to record the second out. He then struck out the final batter, pinch-hitter Kim Hyun-jun, with a swinging strikeout, and was replaced by Kim Dae-hyun before the bottom of the 5th inning.

How Park Si-won will develop remains a topic of interest and discussion among the scouts who drafted him. LG scouts met at the high school baseball field last month said, "Si-won still has a long way to go," but also expressed hope, adding, "However, we are hearing news that his control is gradually improving."

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.