'AI also predicted it': Heo In-seo, a catcher with rookie of the year potential after 16 years, '21 home runs + 78 RBIs + catcher premium'... The rival is Kim Min-jun, not Park Jun-hyun

*This content was translated by AI.

With the first half concluded and about 60 games remaining in the second half, who will emerge as the top rising star? We used generative artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze based on the first-half records of likely candidates.

The most likely candidate is 'mid-career rookie' catcher Heo In-seo (23, Hanwha Eagles). Drafted in the second round, 11th overall pick in the 2022 rookie draft, he joined Hanwha and was quickly enlisted into the military service unit (Army), but after returning last year following his discharge, he had limited playing time, maintaining his rookie eligibility.

The Rookie of the Year award includes all players who have accumulated no more than 30 innings pitched or 60 plate appearances since joining within the past five years, including those who joined in the current season. Heo In-seo has appeared in a total of 49 plate appearances up to last year.

This season, Heo In-seo quickly secured Hanwha's starting catcher position with explosive hitting. In 73 games, he posted a .292 batting average (62 hits in 212 at-bats), 12 home runs, 45 RBIs, 39 runs scored, a .369 on-base percentage, a .495 slugging percentage, and an OPS (on-base + slugging) of 0.864. He earned the nickname 'Heo-Rally,' inspired by Seattle's power-hitting catcher Kyle Raley, and also appeared in the All-Star Game, going 4-for-5 with one RBI and one run scored, earning him the title of Mr. All-Star as well.

The reason AI ranked Heo In-seo first for Rookie of the Year lies in his 'unmatched stats and productivity' and 'nutritious hitting and compelling narrative.' Despite playing the most demanding defensive position—catcher—he demonstrated high offensive production, showcasing clutch ability with a batting average at scoring positions reaching .396, leaving a strong impression.

There is also significant interest in whether he can become the first catcher to win Rookie of the Year since Yang Eui-ji (Doosan) in 2010, marking a 16-year gap.

Of course, with about 60 games still remaining, it's too early to make definitive conclusions. There are other promising rookies who could change the race.

One of them is Park Jun-hyun (19, Kiwoom Heroes), known for his terrifying fastball. A graduate of Bukil High School, Park was selected first overall in the draft and signed with Kiwoom for a signing bonus of 700 million won. Just over a month after the season opener, on April 26, he made his professional debut and immediately pitched five scoreless innings to secure a win.

Since then, Park has consistently held a spot in the starting rotation but has been caught in a four-game losing streak despite good fortune not being on his side. In 10 games, he has logged 49 innings with an ERA of 3.67 and a batting average against of .231. He has also achieved two quality starts. Another reason he draws attention is his ability to throw pitches approaching 160 km/h in top speed.

However, AI emphasized that for Park Jun-hyun to overtake the strong competitor Heo In-seo and claim Rookie of the Year, he needs more than just one win. This is a reasonable point. Looking at past rookie winners who were starting pitchers: Moon Dong-ju (Hanwha) won with 8 wins in 2023, Lee Ui-ri (KIA) with 4 wins in 2021, So Hyoung-jun (KT) with 13 wins in 2020, Shin Jae-young (retired, formerly Nexen) with 15 wins in 2016, and Lee Jae-hak (NC) with 10 wins in 2013. Excluding Lee Ui-ri, it appears that around 10 wins are typically required. The general consensus is that starting pitchers are at a disadvantage compared to batters who can play every day if they don't reach this threshold.

After graduating from Gyeongnam High School, Jang Chan-hee (19) was selected 29th overall in the third round by Samsung. He initially worked out of the bullpen at the start of the season but has consistently started games since late April. In 18 games, he recorded 4 wins and 4 losses with an ERA of 4.58, though he only pitched five or more innings in four of his eight starts as a starter.

While he has accumulated more wins than Park Jun-hyun, the key factor will be his recovery from elbow pain experienced toward the end of the first half. Manager Park Jin-man stated that upon his return, Jang would initially be used as a long reliever, which could also work against him in the Rookie of the Year race.

Kim Min-jun (19), selected fifth overall in the first round by SSG after graduating from Daegu High School, is also considered a dark horse. Due to injury, he made his debut only on the 9th, appearing as a starter in all five games and logging 23⅔ innings with a record of 2 wins and 1 loss and an ERA of 4.18. On the 7th against Doosan Bears, he pitched six scoreless innings to break the team's nine-game losing streak, drawing attention. He recorded 20 strikeouts, a batting average against of .225, and a WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched) of 1.35.

The small sample size remains a variable. AI projected that if Kim Min-jun can maintain his current momentum consistently, he could become Heo In-seo's strongest competitor.

Additionally, AI projected this season's expected performance for these players based on their current stats and various metrics. For Heo In-seo, the projection is 120 games played, a .283 batting average, 21 home runs, 78 RBIs, and an OPS of 0.815. Regarding why the projected number of games or statistics appear slightly below current pace levels: "As a catcher playing full-time in his first season at the first division level, physical exhaustion is expected to be severe, leading to a slight decline in offensive metrics as the season progresses into the second half. However, considering his excellent ability to hit with runners in scoring position and power displayed in the first half, cumulative stats are expected to continue accumulating. Ultimately, he will secure the strong premium of being a 'starting catcher who has reached the 20th-home-run plateau.'"

For Park Jun-hyun, AI projects he will finish with 23 games, 115 innings pitched, 5 wins and 9 losses, and an ERA of 3.85. AI stated: "He will consistently handle the rotation using his fast pitches, but continued bad luck may make reaching 10 wins realistically difficult. While reaching the required innings may also be challenging, he is expected to take responsibility for over 100 innings, sufficiently proving his value as a starting pitcher."

For Jang Chan-hee, AI projects he will split time between starting and relief roles across 35 games, logging 65 innings with 5 wins, 5 losses, 6 holds, and an ERA of 4.30. "If his role changes from starter to reliever, the accumulation rate of starting wins and innings will drop sharply," AI noted, adding: "As he will be pitching in shorter innings as part of the bullpen, his stability is expected to increase."

Expectations for Kim Min-jun were clearly high. AI projected he would finish the season with 17 games, 85 innings pitched, 7 wins and 4 losses, and an ERA of 3.95. "With a strong heart demonstrated by breaking the nine-game losing streak and high strikeout ability, he is a dark horse poised for the steepest rise among second-half pitcher rookies," AI stated, but added: "However, since his debut was delayed, there are limits to the number of appearances he can make."

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*This content was translated by AI.