'Blockbuster' first-round pick → 1:1 trade → ERA in the 'single digits'! Could this be the explosive potential after 9 years? Even Yeom Kyung-yeop, who directly drafted him, was surprised: "I thought he had quit..."

*This content was translated by AI.

During his tenure as general manager, Yeom Kyung-yeop, now the manager of the LG Twins, was genuinely shocked by the 'commanding' pitcher he had directly selected as the first-round pick in the rookie draft. This is the story of Kim Jung-woo (26), a pitcher who has now reached his ninth professional season.

Doosan suffered a bitter defeat in the first Jamsil rivalry game of the season. In the match against LG held at Jamsil Stadium on the 25th, they conceded four runs in the bottom of the ninth inning and ultimately lost 5-7 in a comeback defeat. Having lost 1-4 the previous day on the 24th, Doosan fell into a three-game losing streak. Their league standing dropped to sole eighth place.

Although they lost, the hero who satisfied Doosan fans was Kim Jung-woo.

On the 24th against LG, Kim Jung-woo pitched 1⅓ innings, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out two batters in a scoreless outing, leaving a deep impression. He took the mound again on the 25th, pitching one inning with one hit allowed, one walk, and no runs, fulfilling his role and securing his second hold of his career.

This was not just a fleeting performance. His season statistics prove it. In nine total appearances, he has recorded one hold and an ERA of 1.80. Over ten innings, he has allowed six hits, four walks, and struck out 12 batters while surrendering only two earned runs. His WHIP stands at 1.00, and his batting average against is an impressive 0.171.

In the game on the 24th, he entered as the second reliever in the bottom of the sixth inning with one out and runners on second and third. After intentionally walking Moon Sung-ju, he retired the next two batters. He induced Park Dong-won to swing and miss on the fourth pitch for a strikeout, then forced Park Hae-min into a ground ball directly to the shortstop on the fourth pitch. His heavy fastball, reaching speeds up to 148 km/h, was impressively located on the outer edge of the strike zone. His slider and changeup also stood out.

In the seventh inning, he struck out Shin Min-jae with a ground ball to second base and Hong Chang-ki with a looking strikeout, building momentum. He then allowed a double down the right-field line to Cheon Seong-ho before handing the mound over to Lee Byung-hun and exiting the game.

Doosan manager Kim Won-hyeong, in an interview with reporters ahead of the 25th game, said about Kim Jung-woo, "He truly put in a lot of effort with the mindset that he 'has to do something, he can do it.' Of course, mindset alone doesn't make a player. Although I haven't seen him properly in the 2024 and 2025 seasons, his slider has improved immensely. His ability to throw strikes is also excellent."

He continued, "In fact, he has always posted good results in the minor leagues. Recently, he took the mound in a tied situation and seems to have gained a lot of confidence. I thought he could be used in important situations. He is performing his role very well. I think we will need to use him more in the future," expressing strong trust.

Manager Kim added, "He seems to have gained a lot of confidence on the mound and is now dominating batters. He worked with (Kim) Ki-yeon for the first time in a while in an important situation the previous day (24th). Seeing him boldly mix up his pitches against Park Dong-won was surprising. The opposing team seemed confused by the unexpected pitch selection."

Kim Jung-woo, who graduated from Sorae Elementary, Dongsan Middle, and Dongsan High schools, was drafted first overall by SK Wyverns (now the predecessor of SSG Landers) in 2018. The SK general manager at the time was Yeom Kyung-yeop, now the manager of the LG Twins.

Known for his strong arm during high school, he was highly anticipated as a prospect while playing both as a pitcher and a shortstop. He appeared in one game for the first team in 2019 and resolved his military service through the Army Baseball Team (Sangmu) in 2020. A change occurred for him in 2023. On May 25 of that year, he joined Doosan via a trade. It was a 1:1 trade where SSG received infielder Kang Jin-seong, and Kim Jung-woo was sent to Doosan.

Afterward, he spent most of his time in the Futures League, playing 24 games in the 2024 season and primarily in the Futures League again in 2025. In the first team, he had only played one game in the 2019 season, seven in 2023, one in 2024, and 18 in 2025. Now, after all that, he has finally unleashed his potential this season.

His pitching also made an impression on the 'commanding' manager Yeom Kyung-yeop of the LG Twins. Ahead of the 25th game, Yeom told reporters, "His pitches were good during the game. Suddenly, I thought, 'Is that the pitcher?' and asked Senior Coach Kim Jung-jun. He confirmed it was him. I thought he had quit. I wondered, 'When did he come to Doosan?'" He added, "In the past, his velocity wasn't as high, but he had good control. Now, his velocity has even increased," offering high praise.

Doosan's 'closer' Kim Taek-yeon was excluded from the 25th first-team roster due to a shoulder injury (diagnosed with supraspinatus strain) and is out of the lineup. Manager Kim stated regarding a replacement closer, "We will deploy the appropriate pitcher depending on the situation," leaving all possibilities open. Will Kim Jung-woo, who has finally unleashed his potential, become a major asset to the Doosan bullpen?

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*This content was translated by AI.