"Class is Baseball": Five Players Turn Pro Within Six Years of Founding — How Did Busan University of Science and Technology Make Seoul Pros Take the "Train to Busan" KTX?

*This content was translated by AI.

Founded in 2020, this two-year university's baseball team has emerged as a rising powerhouse in collegiate baseball. The team is led by head coach Lee Seung-jong of Busan University of Science and Technology (Busan과기대).

Since its founding in 2020, Busan University of Science and Technology won the U-League championship within three years. Last year, it also claimed both the President's Cup and the National Sports Festival titles. The team has not only achieved strong results but also produced five KBO rookie draft selections within six years of its founding, starting with Choi Hyun-seok (SSG Landers). Including development players, nearly 20 athletes have donned professional uniforms.

The school no longer recruits solely from the Busan region. There are now cases of "baseball study abroad" from Seoul and other metropolitan areas traveling all the way to Busan. Kwak Byung-jin (20), a graduate of Seoul High School and this year's top collegiate baseball prospect, boldly boarded the "Train to Busan" KTX after hearing that Busan University of Science and Technology is known for its strong baseball program.

How did a newly founded two-year university become a powerhouse in collegiate baseball? Head coach Lee Seung-jong gave a straightforward answer. In an interview with StarNews, he said, "For us, class is baseball. We play games every day, even in winter."

Busan University of Science and Technology operates differently from typical university baseball teams. The baseball team has its own dedicated curriculum within the Department of Rehabilitation Exercise and Health. This was made possible through cooperation between the school administration and Lee Eun-ju (Prof.) of the department. Coach Lee explained, "Normally, university students take classes mixed with general students, but our baseball team takes classes together as a unit, which feels natural. Mr./Ms. Lee Eun-ju (Prof.) serves as the team manager and oversees operations."

He added, "On Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, we attend regular classes such as rehabilitation massage, while on Thursdays and Fridays, we take baseball-specific classes. Even defensive drills led by coaches count as coursework. I believe this approach may be the first of its kind nationwide."

Since classes and training are not separated, the number of games has naturally increased. Busan University of Science and Technology effectively begins its season in February with the Winter League. During the semester, after afternoon classes end, the team plays practice games, and any remaining gaps are filled with nighttime training back at school. The team plays around 120 games per year and occasionally hosts doubleheaders when necessary.

Coach Lee remarked, "Compared to other schools, our training volume is quite high, so it must be tough." He reflected, "When we first started, I believed that players needed significant skill development to reach the professional level, so we worked hard. But working hard alone wasn't enough."

Through trial and error, the team naturally developed its own know-how. Coach Lee stated, "At first, it was difficult to beat four-year universities. There was a huge physical gap between first-year and fourth-year college players. So we began with systematic weight training." He continued, "Players who lacked strength in high school typically see their physique and skeletal structure fully develop by ages 20–21, gaining significant strength. If we refine their technique at that point and provide ample experience, excellent results follow. Training intensively during the right developmental period leads to substantial skill growth."

To identify promising young talents quickly, the scouting process began early. Having served as a coach at Seoul Jungang High School, Busan Gaeseong High School, and Suncheon Hyochon High School, Coach Lee does not hesitate to travel nationwide — whether to Gwangju or Incheon — to find talented players. He explained, "If you look only at statistics, you see only the already skilled players. My goal is to find players with potential, even if they are currently a bit lacking. Players with good physical attributes, solid throwing mechanics, and strong work ethic tend to improve significantly. Even those with less ideal physical traits can be recruited if their movement mechanisms are sound."

Investment in coaching staff is another strength of Busan University of Science and Technology. The team currently employs two pitching coaches and three position coaches, with further specialization into hitting, battery, and infield defense coaches. This level of staffing is exceptional given that most university baseball teams typically have only one or two coaches overall. As a result, position players rarely need to rely on external training facilities.

Coach Lee stated firmly, "Players don't worry about going to external training facilities. They only need to follow the scheduled training times. The same applies to leisure activities. If such distractions hinder their athletic performance, it's solely their own loss. If their skills decline, they won't even be allowed to play in games."

He added with a smile, "Especially for position players, almost no one goes to external training facilities. Our coaches provide continuous feedback. That's why I highly value our coaching staff. In this era of advanced media, when players trust and follow their coaches' instructions, it reflects excellent leadership."

The team provides as many equal opportunities as possible to its approximately 50 baseball members. For instance, ace pitcher Kwak Byung-jin threw the most innings on the team last season in official games — 28⅔ innings. This demonstrates the team's operational philosophy of not relying on any single player.

Coach Lee emphasized, "As a joke, our players actually get happy when someone gets injured because it means they might get a chance to play. If they perform well in practice games and show good form, they believe they can earn spots in official games, so everyone trains hard."

He further explained, "In collegiate baseball, there is no limit on pitch counts. To achieve results, you could rely on one or two pitchers, but we don't make any pitcher throw 100 pitches per game. Instead, we give opportunities to other players. It's not easy to achieve good results while giving everyone a chance. However, strong performance is essential for frequent professional selections. Even when it's difficult, the coach's role is to balance both results and player development."

Busan University of Science and Technology's rise as a rising powerhouse in a short time was no coincidence. It resulted from a combination of its baseball-specific class structure, nearly 120 real-game experiences per year, investment in coaching staff, and an operational approach that gives players who missed out on drafts another chance to compete. This is also why Seoul prospects choose to take the "Train to Busan."

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*This content was translated by AI.