'And' is getting scarier, '150km/h breakthrough + slider perfected'... 'Next target is LG,' rookie Kim Min-jun says "I will definitely pitch well" — the reason behind his declaration

*This content was translated by AI.

He has now become a reliable card in the starting rotation. In just eight games, he secured four wins and elevated his team's starting lineup to the strongest level in the league. High school rookie Kim Min-jun (20, SSG Landers), who boasts faster velocity and a perfected slider, is growing at an alarming pace.

Kim Min-jun (19) made his start on the 29th at Incheon SSG Landers Field against Doosan Bears in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League home game. Over six innings, he threw 90 pitches, allowing five hits (including one home run), issuing one walk and striking out two batters while surrendering only two earned runs.

Taking over with a 4-2 lead in the seventh inning, the bullpen protected the advantage to secure the win, giving Kim Min-jun his fourth victory of the season (with two losses).

Among the total 90 pitches, he threw 53 fastballs clocked at a maximum speed of 151 km/h, 11 forkballs, 10 curveballs, and 16 sliders — his second-most-used pitch after the fastball.

Starting from the top of the first inning with consecutive hits and no outs on first and third base, Kim showed none of the typical rookie struggles. He induced a flyout to center field by Park Jun-soon, trading one out for one run, then faced veteran catcher Yang Eui-ji with his newly strengthened slider, inducing a double play to end the inning.

In the second inning, he again started nervously with a hit and a walk, facing a crisis with one out and runners on second and third via a sacrifice bunt. Once more, he deployed his slider to induce a groundout by third baseman Yoon Jun-ho, then caught the runner at home plate before striking down Kim Daehan with a powerful fastball for an infield pop fly, finally catching his breath.

Once he overcame the early crisis, there was no stopping him. He retired all three batters in order in the third inning (including two strikeouts), and cleanly shut down both the fourth and fifth innings. Although he allowed a solo home run to Yang Eui-ji in the sixth, he remained completely composed. He finished with another quality start (QS — defined as six or more innings pitched with three or fewer earned runs), ending his outing at 4-2 while protecting the lead and ultimately securing his fourth win of the season.

A graduate of Daegu High School, Kim Min-jun delivered last year's most outstanding performance, proudly receiving the grand prize in the StarNews Futures Star Awards. However, predicting such immediate success from his first professional year was difficult. Signed as the fifth overall pick in the first round with a signing bonus of 270 million won, Kim was guaranteed a spot in the starting rotation since spring training but could not make his debut until June due to shoulder pain.

He quickly accumulated innings with aggressive pitching and played a key role in rebuilding the starting rotation, which had completely collapsed in the first half. Achieving two consecutive quality starts is remarkable — no high school rookie in the team's history, including during its SK era, had accomplished this feat in 24 years. In 2002, rookie Je Chun-mo also held a spot in the starting rotation, recording a seven-inning, three-run performance against KIA on June 1 at Mudeung Stadium and a six-and-one-third inning, three-run outing against Daejeon on June 7 at Incheon. Kim Min-jun has now matched that record with even more stable pitching.

Manager Lee Seung-yong could not hide his joy. The manager praised Kim, saying, "Kim Min-jun recorded two consecutive quality starts and proved his value as a starting pitcher in front of Incheon home fans. His continuous growth game after game is illuminating the team's future."

With his powerful fastball providing solid support, there was nothing to fear. After the game, Kim met with reporters and said, "My body has adapted well, and I think my velocity tends to come out better during this time of year. Last year, my velocity actually improved when it was hot." He added, "When competing against Kim Daehan, I threw a high fastball that clocked 149 km/h. Even without exerting much effort, hitting 149 km/h made me think that if I use more force, I can reach 150 km/h."

As his fastball gained more power, his slider also became more effective. Kim, who previously relied almost exclusively on a two-pitch mix of fastballs and forkballs, strengthened his slider through advice from new foreign pitcher Pedro Avila. He was told to adjust his grip and throw the slider with greater intensity, similar to his fastball, enabling him to execute the cutter-style pitch he had long desired.

The slider played a crucial role in helping Kim escape early-game crises. "My control inside the strike zone improved significantly, and my slider has become much better, allowing me to work through situations smoothly," Kim said. "My slider has improved greatly. There were some swings and misses, and when I threw it at fastball timing, it induced many groundouts."

He continued, "I didn't use the slider very frequently before, often throwing it just for show. But since it's working well now, I can use it as a counter-pitch or even as my decisive weapon, so I started using it more easily and confidently. Catcher (Jo) Hyung-woo also told me today that the slider was breaking sharply, which gave me confidence to throw it." He added with a smile, "It wasn't working well before, but thanks to Avila's guidance, I'm grateful. I will pitch even better from now on."

He earned his first win at home in three games. Kim said, "I feel really good about this. Now I need to work harder to win more often at home." Regarding the quality start record, he confidently stated, "It's an honor to achieve such a milestone, and I will aim for another quality start in the next game."

Although he has taken one step closer to his original goal of seven wins, he is focusing immediately on the upcoming games rather than the number. "I definitely want to reach seven wins," he said, adding, "The next opponent is LG, whom I faced in my debut but didn't perform well against. I will prepare thoroughly to pitch exceptionally well."

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*This content was translated by AI.