'Elbow surgery → even with 5⅔ innings in 3rd year' Suwon KT selects Yushin High left-hander! Lee Seung-won drafted 5th overall [2027 Rookie Draft]

*This content was translated by AI.

His pitching innings during his 3rd-year season totaled only 5⅔. Nevertheless, KT Wiz bet its 5th overall pick on the potential of Lee Seung-won (18), a left-handed pitcher from Yushin High, a prestigious school in Suwon.

On the 21st, at the World Crystal Ball Room of Seoul Lotte Hotel where the 2027 KBO Rookie Draft took place, KT selected Lee Seung-won with its 5th overall pick in the first round. KT General Manager Nado-hyun personally called out the name of the left-handed pitcher from Yushin High.

While the full draft system does not grant priority to select players from the team's home region, it is still significant that KT, based in Suwon, has acquired an elite left-handed pitcher from Yushin High, also located in Suwon.

After being drafted, Lee Seung-won said, "I went through many difficult times while recovering. It was impossible for me to reach this stage on my own." He added, "Because I overcame and endured those tough times together with my Yushin High teammates, I am able to stand here today. I want to say thank you very much."

Lee Seung-won was one of the top prospects whose evaluations were most divided in this draft. Standing at 190cm according to the Korea Baseball and Softball Association (KBSA), he is a left-handed pitcher who has been recognized since his freshman year for his consistent command and game management skills. He freely mixes sliders, curves, and changeups, and despite his young age, he received high praise for his ability to adjust speed and timing based on batters' reactions.

His velocity increased during his sophomore year. His fastball, which had topped out in the early 130s km/h during his freshman year, reached 144 km/h. In last year's E-Mart Cup Hwimun High School Tournament, he pitched a perfect game with nine strikeouts over six innings without allowing any baserunners, further boosting his value. However, his elbow held him back. He underwent surgery in June last year to repair the medial collateral ligament (MCL) of his left elbow and entered a long rehabilitation period.

He successfully returned during his 3rd-year season but did not show much in actual games. His final statistics this year were 6 games, 1 win, no losses, an ERA of 3.00, 5⅔ innings pitched, 1 walk, and 6 strikeouts. The sample size was too small to completely dispel doubts about his health and the possibility of velocity improvement after surgery. Nevertheless, scouts' evaluations did not drop significantly because Lee Seung-won had already demonstrated a high level of completion during his earlier years.

A Major League Baseball (MLB) scout previously told StarNews, "Lee Seung-won's performance in his freshman year was excellent. Even if he hadn't shown his velocity before surgery, it was impressive for a freshman, and nowadays there are few pitchers with such command." He continued, "His command and game management skills were truly outstanding. Since he already had a high level of completion as a freshman, scouts were very hopeful that adding strength to that foundation would yield great results."

Ultimately, KT gave higher value to the potential they observed over the two years prior rather than the brief 5⅔ innings in his 3rd year. He possesses a 190cm frame, the rarity of being a left-handed pitcher, and combines consistent command with strong game management abilities. There is still hope that if he grows healthily after elbow surgery, he can be developed as a starting pitcher.

The 2027 KBO Rookie Draft was conducted under the full draft system, with selections made from the first round through the eleventh round. The order of selection followed the reverse standings of 2025: Kiwoom, Doosan, KIA, Lotte, KT, NC, Samsung, SSG, Hanwha, and LG.

According to KBO regulations, there was only one rookie draft rights trade for 2027. On November 25 last year, NC Dinos acquired the 27th pick in the third round by trading catcher Park Se-hyeok (36) to Samsung Lions. As a result, NC will select 12 players, Samsung will select 10, and the other eight teams will each select 11, totaling 110 draftees.

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

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*This content was translated by AI.