'Last year Ha Hyun-seung, this year Han Gyu-min' Korea's only high school sophomore pitcher with bold determination: "I'll do my part; I'm confident in strikeouts" [Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

If last year belonged to Ha Hyun-seung (18, Busan High), this year belongs to Han Gyu-min (17, Daejeon High). Amid fierce competition from third-year pitchers, Han Gyu-min stands out as the only sophomore to earn the national team jersey. He now reveals his resolve ahead of his first international tournament.

The U-18 national baseball team, led by head coach Jung Yun-jin (55, Deoksu High), will compete in the 14th Asian Youth Baseball Championship in Taipei, Taiwan, from the 7th to 13.

The roster includes just six pitchers. Alongside Ha Hyun-seung, five others — Park Geun-seo (18, Seoul Design High), Yoon Ye-sung (19, Inchang High), Kim Min-hoon (18, Gwangju Jinheung High), and Kwak Do-hyun (18, Busan Public High) — are third-year players preparing for the 2027 KBO Rookie Draft. Standing alone among them is Han Gyu-min, the only sophomore.

One year ago, he resembled Ha Hyun-seung. Like Ha, a left-handed pitcher selected as a sophomore to the U-18 national team last year to face Japan and Taiwan, Han has now grown into a top prospect for the 2027 KBO Rookie Draft with a fastball reaching up to 152 km/h and exceptional skills in both pitching and batting.

Han Gyu-min is already delivering results that surpass his peers. Standing at 188 cm and weighing 86 kg, he is a left-handed pitcher whose powerful 147 km/h fastball from a high release point is particularly formidable.

He has been a cornerstone of Daejeon High's pitching staff since his freshman year and rose to become the ace this season. In 16 games, Han recorded 7 wins, 3 losses, an ERA of 1.19, 68 innings pitched, 18 walks, 6 hit-by-pitches, 85 strikeouts, and a WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched) of 0.90. He played a key role in leading Daejeon High to the E-Mart Cup semifinals and the runner-up finish in the Golden Saja Tournament. Notably, in the Golden Saja, he went 2-0 with no losses across three games, posting an ERA of 0.48, helping the team reach the finals for the first time in 64 years, and earning the Most Valuable Player award.

During that tournament, he faced Ha Hyun-seung directly. In the round of 16 against Busan High, when Ha Hyun-seung pitched five scoreless innings with seven strikeouts, Han entered the game in the fifth inning and held the line until the end, allowing only one unearned run to secure a 2-1 victory for Daejeon High. At the time, Han told StarNews, "I was worried because my body was tired and my condition wasn't good," but added, "I felt significant shortcomings. I realized I needed to improve my stamina and refine my control."

It's not just about his fast ball. He also throws a circle changeup, sweeper, slider, and curveball. He uses his fastball and changeup to get into counts, then induces swings and misses with the sweeper. In January, during the KBO Next Level Training Camp, he trained intensively at the IMG Academy in the United States, focusing on mastering the changeup grip and pitching mechanics.

Even for Han Gyu-min, earning the national team jersey as a sophomore carried more significance than expected. When met recently at Ulsan Munsu Baseball Stadium, Han said, "It's great to be with such talented seniors, and there's so much I can learn from them." He added, "Even though I'm only a sophomore, they trusted me enough to select me for the team. That's why I'm working harder than ever in both practice and weight training."

He does not hesitate to approach senior teammates first to ask questions. Especially with fellow left-handed pitchers, he seeks advice on physical conditioning and pitching techniques, eager to learn as much as possible. He is fully satisfied with his sophomore season, rating it a perfect 10 out of 10. Han remarked, "I think it's been a successful season. My goals before the season were to stay healthy and contribute to the team's success, and I was able to finish well." He smiled, adding, "I also learned a lot about game management, so I feel good about how things went."

Next year, he has set a goal of increasing his fastball speed to 155 km/h. His role model is Moon Dong-ju (23, Hanwha Eagles), a power pitcher. Although left-handed pitchers differ from right-handed ones, Han aspires to emulate not only Moon's fast ball but also his calm demeanor on the mound and his ability to keep emotions hidden during games.

However, in this first tournament wearing the national team jersey, he has no ambitions for 155 km/h or the ace role. If given the chance to face Japan and Taiwan like Ha Hyun-seung did last year, he simply intends to do his part. Han stated, "I want to perform well, but I don't assume I can succeed unconditionally. Since my seniors are all excellent players, I just want to focus on what I can do and contribute meaningfully."

When asked by the reporter about whether he felt confident in striking out Japanese or Taiwanese batters, the humble 17-year-old left-hander did not hesitate this time. Han replied firmly, "I am confident. While I may not lead us to a gold medal, I will give my absolute best and throw with everything I have alongside my teammates."

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*This content was translated by AI.