'132⅓ innings, 1,896 pitches': An 18-year-old high school pitcher threw more than An Woo-jin... Even after signing a pro contract, '169 pitches in 6 days,' the pitching is not over

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

There is a high school student who has thrown more pitches than An Woo-jin (27) of the pro baseball team Kiwoom Heroes. He has already received a draft selection from a professional team and signed a contract with a signing bonus of 100 million won, but his appearances on the high school stage are not yet finished.

Kim Ji-yul (18) of Chungam High School appeared as the second pitcher in the semifinal match against Gwangju First High School at the 107th National Sports Festival baseball under-18 division held on the 21st at Kang Chang-hak Comprehensive Stadium in Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, and became the winning pitcher with 6⅓ innings pitched, 9 hits allowed (2 home runs), 2 walks, 5 strikeouts, and 5 runs allowed.

The number of pitches Kim Ji-yul threw on this day was 105. He filled up the maximum pitch count for a single high school baseball game. This is already his 1,896th pitch in official games this year. Compared to the regular season pitch counts of KBO League pitchers this year, it ranks 31st. Even An Woo-jin threw 1,879 pitches over 112 innings this year, which is 17 fewer than Kim Ji-yul.

Coincidentally, this day was when KT's 2027 rookies joined the National Baseball Training Center in Iksan, Jeonbuk, which serves as the home ground for the Futures League. While other rookies were preparing for their professional careers, Kim Ji-yul once again secured a victory for Chungam High School in Jeju.

Kim Ji-yul was selected by KT with the 25th overall pick in the third round of the 2027 KBO Rookie Draft in September last month. On the 6th of this month, he completed his official entry contract with a signing bonus of 100 million won. He is a promising player that KT internally evaluated as a second-round level prospect. Standing at 186 cm and weighing 90 kg, Kim Ji-yul commands a fastball reaching up to 145-146 km/h and an excellent slider. In particular, he received high praise for the vertical movement of his fastball, changeup tunneling, and stable control.

Accordingly, he left behind overwhelming results on the high school stage. Kim Ji-yul led Chungam High School to a double crown in the Hwanggeum Saji Cup and the Bonghwangdae Cup this year. At that time, he recorded 14 wins and 2 losses with an ERA of 1.28, along with 157 strikeouts over 120 innings in 26 games. He was the ace who took on the most innings among high school pitchers.

However, a season that was expected to end with the Bonghwangdae Cup extended all the way to the National Sports Festival. Kim Ji-yul threw 2 innings and 15 pitches in the round of 16 match against Jeju High School on the 16th last month, recording 3 strikeouts and no runs allowed. After resting for one day, he threw 4 innings and 49 pitches in the quarterfinal match against Seonggwang High School on the 18th, leading Chungam High School to a 4-3 victory with 2 hits allowed, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts, and 1 run allowed.

After resting for two days, he handled 105 pitches in the match against Gwangju First High School on the 21st. He appeared in three games in just six days from the 16th, throwing 169 pitches over 12⅓ innings. As a result, Kim Ji-yul's official record for this year became 17 wins and 2 losses with an ERA of 1.57, along with 48 walks and hit batters (40 walks, 8 hit by pitch) and 171 strikeouts over 132⅓ innings in 29 games, with a WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched) of 0.91.

In addition to this, there are also 5⅓ innings from the February Seongnam City High School Baseball Championship and 6⅔ innings from the Seoul preliminary round of the National Sports Festival, which are not included in the official records of the Korea Baseball & Softball Association (KBSA). KBO scouts estimate that if practice game pitching is considered, Kim Ji-yul's actual pitch count will approach 2,000.

This is not just Kim Ji-yul's situation. The situation of another promising player from Chungam High School, second-year Jo Sung-jun (17), also warrants attention. Jo Sung-jun, a left-hander who throws fastballs up to 150 km/h, is evaluated as one of the top prospects in the 2028 KBO Rookie Draft. However, he was sidelined due to a shoulder injury in April this year and focused on rehabilitation for a long period, only resuming live pitching appearances this month.

Even Jo Sung-jun took the mound in all three games at the National Sports Festival. He handled 4 innings and 59 pitches in the match against Jeju High School on the 16th, and 5 innings and 60 pitches in the match against Seonggwang High School on the 18th. In the match against Gwangju First High School on the 21st, he threw 34 pitches over 2⅓ innings. He recorded 153 pitches over 11⅓ innings in three games.

In particular, there was only one day of rest between his first and second appearances. Chungam High School will compete for the National Sports Festival championship against Masan Yongma High School on the 22nd. Since Kim Ji-yul cannot appear due to pitch count limits, Jo Sung-jun is likely to take on an important role on the mound again.

Of course, it is not unusual for players who have received draft selections from professional teams to participate in the National Sports Festival. Unlike other high school national tournaments, the National Sports Festival often involves prize money from provincial and metropolitan sports councils, making it an important tournament for schools and players. There are also frequent cases of drafted players participating under consultation with professional teams.

However, concerns are emerging on the ground regarding Kim Ji-yul's appearances at the National Sports Festival, given that he has already thrown over 120 innings this year. Furthermore, there is talk that he may also participate in the E-Mart No Brand Cup Championship in November. In response, a scout from a KBO team explained, "It is not uncommon for third-year players who have been drafted by pro teams to play in the National Sports Festival. Since the National Sports Festival is an important tournament for high school teams, they can play if they are not particularly injured." However, he expressed concern, saying, "In fact, I didn't know Kim Ji-yul would pitch at the National Sports Festival either. He is a player who has already thrown over 120 innings, and pitchers who participated in previous National Sports Festivals did not throw that many pitches."

Managing pitch counts and cumulative fatigue for young pitchers is an issue treated with great importance even in the United States. 'Pitch Smart,' a youth pitcher protection program jointly operated by Major League Baseball (MLB) and the American Baseball Coaches Association, recommends a maximum of 105 pitches per game and no more than 100 cumulative innings over 12 months for pitchers aged 17-18. It also recommends at least 4 days of rest after throwing 81-105 pitches, and categorizes those aged 19-22 as a separate management group.

Frank Jo Beu (Dr.), a pioneer in ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction surgery (Tommy John surgery), once explained in an interview with ESPN in the US, "At age 18, bones and cartilage are softer, so pitch counts must be strictly limited," adding, "Around age 21, the body becomes more mature. Young players find it difficult to withstand the same level of burden."

Experts emphasize that even if a pitcher's form is smooth and there is no specific pain currently, the amount of pitching accumulated over a season cannot be ignored. In particular, long-term management is needed for high school pitchers like Kim Ji-yul whose physical development may still be in progress.

KT is also known to be aware of concerns regarding Kim Ji-yul's cumulative pitch count. Fortunately, no special issues were found in the medical test before his entry. The plan is to apply a recovery program to manage his physical condition after the National Sports Festival ends.

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

*This content was translated by AI.View Original