Next-Level Draft Stars to Take Over Jamsil in a Year! KBO to Host First-Ever 'Next Level Match' at All-Star Game

*This content was translated by AI.

Promising young players who will carry the future of Korean baseball will take the mound and step up to the plate at the dream venue, Jamsil Stadium, just one year before the draft.

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced on the 9th that it will hold the '2026 Shinhan SOL KBO All-Star Friday Next Level Match' at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium at 3:10 p.m. on the 10th.

According to the KBO, the Next Level Camp is a program launched for the first time in 2022 with the goal of building an elite pipeline through the development of outstanding youth players. Following the establishment of a nationwide camp structure by grade and region last year, this year the target grades have been expanded up to second-year middle school, and overseas dispatch programs have been introduced, completing a continuous development system spanning ages 14 to 17.

The newly established 'All-Star Friday Next Level Match' this year serves as the final stage of this development pipeline. From the 125th players who completed last year's first-year high school camp, 38 core promising talents were carefully selected and invited. Planned exactly one year before the rookie draft, the event aims to allow future KBO League stars to showcase their skills and gain motivation on a major stage like the All-Star Game.

The game will be played as a seven-inning contest (with a two-hour time limit) starting at 3:10 p.m. on the 10th, with the 38th invited players divided into two teams, 'Team Next' and 'Team Level,' to face off.

Strict 'special rules' will also be introduced to prevent injuries among growing athletes. All pitchers are scheduled to appear for only one inning each, and for player protection, the number of pitches is limited to 30. If a pitcher exceeds 30 throws, the inning will automatically switch.

The coaching staffs for both teams will be divided among KBO development committee members and coaches who participated in this year's Next Level Camp. Coach Kim Han-soo, along with coaches Jung Jin-ho, Lee Won-seok, and Kim Myeong-sung, will lead Team Next, while coaches Kwon Oh-jun, Lee Seong-woo, Chae Jong-guk, and Min Byeong-heon will each take charge of Team Level.

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*This content was translated by AI.