'No Upset': Yankees' 4.2 billion won Offer Rejected as Busan High's Ha Hyun-seung Selected First Overall by Kiwoom: "I Want to Face Pitcher Kim Do-young and Batter Kwak Bin" [2027 Rookie Draft]

*This content was translated by AI.

'Ha Hyun-seung, an 18-year-old two-way pitcher and batter from Busan High who also turned down a $3 million (approximately 4.1 billion won) offer from the New York Yankees, has finally entered the professional stage as the first overall pick.

'Kiwoom Heroes used its first-round, first-overall selection at the 2027 KBO Rookie Draft held on the 21st at the World Crystal Ball Room of the Lotte Hotel in Seoul. After being selected, Ha Hyun-seung said, "I'm glad to be picked quickly. I will make my way to the first division soon and show you a good performance." He added, "As a pitcher, I want to face Senior Kim Do-young, who is currently hitting the best, and as a batter, I want to hit against Kwak Bin, Korea's ace."

'The selection was expected. Ha Hyun-seung was recognized early on as the top talent in this draft. Standing at 194 cm and weighing 94 kg according to the Korea Baseball & Softball Association (KBSA), he throws a fastball reaching speeds of up to 152 km/h. His two types of sliders, generated from a pitching form with excellent deception, were evaluated as difficult to exploit even at the high school level.

'His performance this year was also overwhelming. As a pitcher, he appeared in 14 games, recording 4 wins with no losses, an ERA of 0.39, 45⅔ innings pitched, 12 walks, 77 strikeouts, and a WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched) of 0.72. As a batter, he played in 24 games, posting a batting average of 0.383 (31 hits in 81 at-bats), 3 home runs, 21 RBIs, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 1.088.

'A scout from a KBO team previously told StarNews about Ha Hyun-seung: "He can be called the second Choo Shin-soo. Despite his large frame, he has excellent athleticism and flexibility, and is fast on his feet. He also possesses a strong arm and great baseball sense."

'The United States also moved early. The prestigious Major League Baseball (MLB) club New York Yankees submitted a formal offer worth $3 million to Ha Hyun-seung. However, Ha decided to participate in the KBO Rookie Draft instead of heading directly to the U.S., and ultimately, his name was called first.

'On the final international stage just before the draft, he personally proved why he was a top candidate for the first overall pick. In the 14th Asian Youth Baseball Championship, Ha appeared in three games, recording 3 wins with no losses, 15⅔ innings pitched, 25 strikeouts, and scoreless results. He climbed onto the mound three times within a week and allowed not a single run, earning the title "Mr. Zero."

'The highlight was the final match against Japan. Ha Hyun-seung held Japan to just one hit and two walks over seven innings while striking out eight batters, keeping them scoreless. With Ha's outstanding performance leading the way, South Korea defeated Japan and claimed the Asian title for the first time since 2018, ending an eight-year drought.

'Ahead of the draft, Ha Hyun-seung told StarNews, "If I get picked, I want to cry. My parents and I have worked very hard for eight years." The moment he dreamed of has become reality in the most glamorous form: being selected first overall.

'The 2027 KBO Rookie Draft was conducted as a full draft, with selections made from Round 1 through Round 11. The order of selection rights followed the reverse order of the 2025 club standings: Kiwoom-Doosan-KIA-Lotte-KT-NC-Samsung-SSG-Hanwha-LG.

'According to KBO regulations, there is only one rookie draft trade for 2027. The only transaction occurred on November 25 last year when NC Dinos traded catcher Park Se-hyeok (36) to Samsung Lions, acquiring the 27th pick in the third round. As a result, NC will select 12 players, Samsung will select 10, and the other eight clubs will each select 11, totaling 110 players who will wear KBO club uniforms.

'The pool of eligible candidates for this year's rookie draft includes 891 high school graduates, 326 university graduates, 43 early draft applicants, and 20 other players from overseas amateur and professional backgrounds, totaling 1,280 individuals.

'Players who participated in the KBO Next-Level Training Camp, an annual event organized by the KBO since 2022 to focus on developing promising amateur talent, also took part in this draft. In the 2026 KBO Rookie Draft, 20 players were selected, with four of them chosen in the first round.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.