'Hanwha Development Player Shin-hwa' This Time, 's Moon "Proving It Wasn't Just Luck in the First Game, Will Start Again Next Time" — Flood of Praise [Changwon Field]

*This content was translated by AI.

"He showed that his first game wasn't just luck."

Although he made history as the first development player in Korean professional baseball history to earn a starting win, the manager held back his words. Yet, he could not help but shower praise on the rookie who also seized his second opportunity.

Kim Kyung-moon (68), manager of the Hanwha Eagles, met with reporters ahead of the Hanwha Eagles' away game against the NC Dinos at Changwon NC Park on the 28th for the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League and said, "(Park Jun-young) gave up two home runs at the end, but the fact that he stayed on the mound until the sixth inning and allowed only a few runs is (impressive). That means he should be used as a starter again. He gave up home runs, but he fulfilled his role."

Park Jun-young was not initially considered a pitcher the Hanwha Eagles had high hopes for ahead of this season. He played through Chungam High School and Cheong-woon University, then joined an independent baseball team, and later gained public attention by throwing a ball on the baseball variety show 'Bulkkot Baseball,' yet he was a pitcher who was rejected three times in the rookie draft.

After undergoing testing ahead of this season and joining Hanwha after great hardship, he entered as a development player. He proved his value in the Futures League. In seven games, he recorded four wins with no losses and an ERA of 1.29, delivering dominant pitching, and was eventually called up on May 10, where he pitched five scoreless innings against the LG Twins, securing a win from his debut game.

Park Jun-young, who later moved to the bullpen and allowed runs in two consecutive games, leaving some regret, seized another starting opportunity against the NC Dinos on the 27th. He threw 86 pitches over 5⅔ innings, allowing five hits (two home runs), one walk, striking out six, and giving up three earned runs, delivering a strong performance.

He also appeared in the sixth inning, holding two outs well, but the only blemish was giving up consecutive home runs to Park Min-woo and Park Geon-woo. However, enduring more than five innings in both of his two professional starting appearances was enough to show that he is certainly not lacking as a candidate for the top five starters.

Manager Kim said, "If he had thrown more pitches, we would have pulled him, but since it was around 80 pitches, we couldn't take him out." Yet, it was a dazzling performance that no one could criticize.

He has secured at least one more starting opportunity. Starting with Wang Yencheng, followed by Owen White, Ryu Hyun-jin, and Will Hernandez, he is scheduled to make another starting appearance on the 2nd of next month in an away game against the Doosan Bears.

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*This content was translated by AI.