"More real-game opportunities for first-year high school players" KBO to host Junior League in Goseong, South Gyeongsang Province starting the 24th

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

A practical stage will open again for first-year high school players who have had relatively few opportunities to appear in games in high school baseball.

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced on the 23rd that it will host the "2026 KBO Academy (Junior League)" in Goseong County, South Gyeongsang Province for five days from the 24th to the 28th.

The Junior League, first launched last year, is an educational league designed to provide high school first-year players with both real-game experience and opportunities for fundamental training. Last year, 10 teams affiliated with baseball associations across various provinces and metropolitan cities participated, playing 35 games to take its first steps.

This year, six teams from the federation of provincial and metropolitan city baseball associations nationwide will participate. All teams will face each other once, resulting in five games per team and a total of 15 games. The focus is on providing high school first-year players who are still in the process of competing for starting positions with opportunities to assess their skills and gain experience in actual games.

It is not just about playing games. Participating players will also learn defensive fundamentals and physical management methods through position-specific clinics. In the infield defense clinic, Kim Ji-soo (40) and Shin Bon-ki (37), who had long careers as players in the KBO League, will be in charge of instruction, while Min Byung-hyun (39) will teach outfield fundamentals. Kang Seong-u (56), who has accumulated extensive experience as both a player and a coach, will handle the catcher section. Kim Ji-soo and Shin Bon-ki also participated as part of the coaching staff in last year's Junior League.

A training clinic involving professional trainers will be provided for pitchers. The plan is to educate growing players on physical management and injury prevention methods, enabling them to acquire management habits necessary for their future playing careers, going beyond simple game experience.

This Junior League will be conducted with the support of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation. Goseong County, South Gyeongsang Province, will provide a baseball field and auxiliary facilities within Goseong County Sportstown, while Dong-A Otsuka will supply beverages such as water and Pocari Sweat for the participating players.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original