'156 km/h Fastball + OPS 0.964' Texas Two-Way Player Kim Sung-jun Confirmed for Low Single-A Promotion! Debut Date Set

*This content was translated by AI.

Kim Sung-jun (19), a two-way player for the Texas Rangers, has been confirmed for promotion to Low Single-A.

A representative of Kim Sung-jun told StarNews on the 18th (Korea time) that "Texas promoted Kim Sung-jun to Hickory Crawdads, its Single-A team, early this morning."

Local Texas media also reported the news. Dallas News reporter Sean McFarland posted on his social media: "Texas promoted two-way prospect Kim Sung-jun and Josh Owens to Hickory." Another outlet, DLL Sports' Jeff Wilson, also announced their promotions, stating they are "scheduled to debut on Single-A on the 20th."

This development was expected. In his first full season this year, Kim Sung-jun appeared in five games as a pitcher in the Rookie League, recording one loss without a win, but posted an ERA of just 1.04. Over 8⅔ innings, he recorded 10 strikeouts. His performance as a hitter was even more impressive: in 48 games, he hit .303 (40 hits in 132 at-bats), with seven home runs, 34 RBIs, 35 runs scored, and eight stolen bases. His on-base percentage was 0.419 and slugging percentage 0.545, resulting in an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 0.964.

As a result, on the 30th of last month, he joined two teammates who also performed well in the Rookie League for training at Texas's High Single-A affiliate, Hub City Sparta.

Kim Sung-jun is steadily fulfilling the expectations placed upon him during his time at Gwangju Ilgo High School. He drew attention from his first year of high school due to his exceptional physical condition and athletic ability. In 2024, as a second-year student, he won the Baseball Star Award at the Futures Star Awards ceremony. Then, in May of last year, during his third year of high school, he signed an international amateur contract with Texas worth $1.2 million (approximately 1.7 billion won), choosing to challenge himself on the American stage.

Texas had stated that it would focus solely on physical growth for at least two years, regardless of game results, and those results appeared sooner than expected. In the Rookie League, Kim Sung-jun threw a fastball clocked at up to 98 mph (approximately 157.7 km/h) according to the scoreboard, and 97 mph (approximately 156.1 km/h) via TrackMan.

He was also impressive as a hitter. While playing shortstop defense twice a week, he committed no errors over 85⅓ innings. At the plate, he hit numerous home runs, raising expectations further. As a result, by the time the Rookie League concluded, MLB.com, the official website of Major League Baseball, moved Kim Sung-jun up from 15th to 8th in Texas's list of top prospects.

MLB.com stated: "Kim Sung-jun's fastball sits in the low 90s and reaches up to 95 mph (approximately 153 km/h). His breaking ball repertoire is diverse. His slider, which sits in the early 80s, receives the highest praise, complemented by a splitter in the mid-80s and a curveball in the mid-70s. His exceptional athletic ability is also expected to help him consistently throw strikes."

It continued: "As a right-handed hitter, he can be expected to hit around 15 home runs in a season. With his 6-foot-2-inch (approximately 188 cm) frame and added strength, the ceiling for his offensive production could rise even higher. As a shortstop, he possesses a strong arm, stable defense, and average speed."

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*This content was translated by AI.