"I didn't expect 157 km/h": The first-round talent acquired in the Choi Won-tae trade is steadily moving toward becoming a second An Woo-jin

*This content was translated by AI.

Jeon Jun-pyo (21) of the Kiwoom Heroes, who had been evaluated as needing time to grow due to control issues, has begun turning his potential into reality on the starting mound.

Jeon Jun-pyo is a right-handed pitcher and batter who attended Jamil Elementary School (Gangdong-gu Little League), Jamsin Middle School, and Seoul High School before being selected by Kiwoom as the eighth overall pick in the first round of the 2024 KBO Rookie Draft. Standing at 186 cm with a sturdy build, he was praised for his fastball that reaches speeds up to 150 km/h. As a result, despite appearing in only four official games and pitching just 6⅔ innings during his third year of high school, he was selected in the first round.

There was a special story behind that draft pick. That year, Kiwoom traded Choi Won-tae (29, Samsung Lions), a senior from Seoul High School whom Jeon Jun-pyo had known, to LG Twins in exchange for Lee Ju-hyung (25) and Kim Dong-gyu (22), receiving the first-round pick along with them. At the time, there was considerable concern. A KBO team official, A, said, "Jeon Jun-pyo has an attractive fastball velocity, but his control is poor. He's not a player who can be easily judged by feel alone, so it will take quite some time to develop him."

However, Kiwoom took a gamble on Jeon Jun-pyo's natural physical abilities and growth potential. Although he does not come from a family of professional athletes, his older brother, who also played baseball, threw fastballs exceeding 150 km/h. They focused on the possibility that another right-handed fireballer could emerge to follow An Woo-jin (28).

That wait began to bear fruit sooner than expected. On the 28th, in a game against LG Twins at Jamsil, Jeon Jun-pyo made his starting appearance and recorded five innings with five hits allowed (one home run), three walks, two strikeouts, and three runs allowed (two earned). He showcased a fastball reaching up to 157 km/h.

That day, Jeon Jun-pyo threw a total of 96 pitches: 72 fastballs, 13 changeups, 10 sliders, and one curveball. Despite the fastball accounting for 75% of his pitch count, LG batters struggled against his consistent speed, with a minimum velocity of 149 km/h and an average of 153 km/h.

KBO scouts were also surprised by the results shown after three professional years. Another KBO team official, B, told StarNews on the 29th, "Jeon Jun-pyo always had good strength. Even in high school, his fastball minimum velocity was in the mid-140s, so I thought once he matured physically, he could easily reach 155 km/h. But honestly, I didn't expect 157 km/h."

The player himself said he never set an explicit goal of increasing his fastball speed. Meeting reporters ahead of the Jamsil LG game on the 29th, Jeon Jun-pyo explained, "I think it just happened naturally because I gained weight and did a lot of speed training to match that. I focused on exercises like rotational movements, medicine ball throws, and jumping drills that suited my body and pitching mechanics."

He continued, "Since I kept starting in the minor league, I thought I should just pitch as if I were still in the minors. Once I actually made it to the first division, there were more spectators, so I was a bit nervous at the beginning. But as the innings progressed, my nerves settled and I could focus better."

Although his profile lists his weight as 90 kg, he has now grown to around 101 kg. He did not simply bulk up. Jeon Jun-pyo said, "My body doesn't feel heavy anymore. I think my strength has increased, which helps me throw faster." He added, "At the start of the season, I tried to focus on detailed pitching rather than speed. But as I trained, my velocity naturally went up."

A healthy body also became the foundation for his growth. Jeon Jun-pyo suffered from shoulder pain during his rookie year and second year. He said, "After struggling with my shoulder, I paid a lot of attention to that part. Surprisingly, this year I haven't had any pain." He smiled, adding, "Even after throwing close to 100 pitches, my arm condition and fatigue were better than expected. Maybe it's because I was young back then."

Although he threw a 157 km/h fastball, Jeon Jun-pyo drew a clear line when comparing himself to his senior An Woo-jin. When he first joined the team, he became a topic of discussion for resembling An Woo-jin in appearance. Jeon Jun-pyo said, "It's not there yet. Senior An Woo-jin is not just fast with his fastball; he also has excellent pitching mechanics and attention to detail. He is still an insurmountable wall." He added, "Senior Woo-jin teaches me more about how to control the strike zone and handle fine details than about how to generate power."

There are clear challenges remaining. In the LG game, his nerves caused his breaking balls to drop off, increasing his reliance on fastballs. To address this, he pointed to the slider, which has been his primary weapon since high school, and the changeup, which he uses to induce weak contact.

Jeon Jun-pyo said, "To get strikeouts, you need curveballs or sliders. The changeup was definitely effective at taking away timing." He added, "I kept using breaking balls in the minors, but in the first division, I think it was due to nerves that many of my pitches dropped off. Still, in the fifth inning, I showed the same form as when I pitched in the minors. I'll remember those sensations well and show them again in the next game."

The first-round prospect who was once said would need a long time to grow due to control issues has now thrown a 157 km/h fastball after three professional years. However, for Jeon Jun-pyo, this high velocity is not the sign of completion. It is more accurate to see it as the starting point on his journey toward becoming a second An Woo-jin.

Jeon Jun-pyo said, "I talk a lot with my teammate Kim Yun-ha and often ask my seniors for advice. In an interview, Yun-ha said, 'I only control what I can control,' and that really resonated with me." He added, "On the mound, I try to focus only on what I can do. I don't worry about whether a pitch is hit or not. Even if it's hit, the ball must enter the strike zone. Since the defense supports me, I'm focusing on competing confidently."

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*This content was translated by AI.