'ERA 0.67' Super-high school-level performance still unsatisfactory, '147km/h left-handed pitcher' Daejeon High School's Han Gyu-min: "No game where I felt I pitched well... I aim to throw 155km/h" [Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

Han Gyu-min (17), the ace sophomore who led Daejeon High School to the first Golden Saja final in 64 years, looked ahead after leaving behind the regret of finishing as runner-up.

On the 16th, Daejeon High School lost 4-10 to Chungam High School in the final of the 80th Golden Saja National High School Baseball Tournament held at Seoul Mokdong Baseball Stadium, settling for the runner-up position.

The collapse of the team's solid mound, which had posted a 1.57 ERA throughout the tournament en route to the final, was a major factor. Starting pitcher Hwang Ji-hyeong allowed three runs in 2/3 innings, Yoon Sang-hyun gave up two runs in one inning, and even the highly anticipated Ahn Tae-geon could not hold back the Chungam High School lineup, surrendering five runs (three earned) in 2 2/3 innings.

Han Gyu-min could not help but come to mind. In this tournament, Han Gyu-min recorded three games, two wins, no losses, an ERA of 0.48, 18 2/3 innings pitched, nine walks and hit-by-pitches (eight walks, one hit-by-pitch), 15 strikeouts, and four runs allowed (one earned), making him the top contributor to Daejeon High School's advancement to the final. Despite not being able to pitch in the final, he was awarded the Most Valuable Player award in recognition of his performance.

In the final, Han Gyu-min said, "I did everything I could. I'm glad I was able to contribute even a little to getting us to the final. This achievement would have been impossible without the team. It was my first final, and I think just reaching this far was a great accomplishment. This result was earned through everyone's sincere efforts," expressing his lingering regret.

This was no exaggeration. Daejeon High School faced particularly tough matchups from the tournament's first round, including a game against the previous year's champion, Seongnam High School. They secured a nail-biting 5-4 victory over Seongnam High School, then defeated Wonju High School 9-4. From the round of 16, they faced Busan High School. In the quarterfinals, they defeated Cheongdam High School, a team they had historically struggled against in national tournaments, 7-3, and then narrowly beat Gangneung High School, led by legendary high school coach Choi Jae-ho, 4-2, to reach the final.

The most challenging opponent was Busan High School. Busan High School aimed for the national championship with their third-year left-handed ace Ha Hyun-seung (18), who has attracted attention from Major League Baseball (ML). As expected, it was a fierce game. Ha Hyun-seung entered in the fourth inning and delivered a powerful performance, striking out seven batters over five scoreless innings. Meanwhile, Han Gyu-min held the line from the fifth inning until the end of the game, allowing only one run (zero earned), leading his team to a 2-1 victory.

Han Gyu-min also recalled, "The round of 16 game against Busan High School is the most memorable. At the time, my body was exhausted and my condition was not good, so I was very worried. There were many talented players on the opposing team, which made it difficult." He added, "I feel I was quite lacking. I realized I need to improve my physical condition and refine my control even more."

Regardless of his own regrets, Han Gyu-min used this tournament to put his name on the national stage. From the weekend league through this tournament, he has delivered outstanding performances, compiling a record of 11 games, six wins, no losses, and an ERA of 0.67, achieving super-high school-level results.

According to the Korea Baseball and Softball Association (KBSA), Han Gyu-min stands 185cm tall and weighs 83kg, with a somewhat slender build. His greatest strength is his fastball, which reaches speeds up to 147km/h. He has attracted the attention of MLB scouts since his freshman year. He utilizes five breaking balls: changeup, circle changeup, sweeper, slider, and curve. He uses his fastball and changeup to get counts, then induces swings and misses with his sweeper. His ability to manage games has rapidly improved thanks to the experience he has accumulated since his freshman year.

Additionally, his training at the IMG Academy in the United States in early January this year as part of the Korea Baseball Organization's (KBO) Next-Level Training Camp was a significant help to him. Han Gyu-min explained, "I think I learned a lot about the changeup while in the United States. I changed and even created grips and throwing methods, and I learned a lot about the mechanics. I have a style where I try every pitch one by one once I get the ball. I even started throwing the sweeper that way."

However, he remained unsatisfied with himself. Han Gyu-min stated firmly, "I have never felt that I pitched well in even a single game. I think I still have a long way to go to meet my own standards. I want to increase my velocity and someday throw at 155km/h." He further added, "My role model is Hanwha's Moon Dong-ju. Although I am a left-handed pitcher, I want to emulate Moon Dong-ju's game management and poker face."

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*This content was translated by AI.