Overtaking the "Overall No. 1 Pick" to Claim Prestige of the Choi Dong-won Award! KT's 3rd Round Draft Pick Kim Ji-yul Rises as Top High School Pitcher with 17 Wins and 171 Strikeouts... "I Want to Face Senior Goo Ja-wook," Bold Ambition

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Kim Ji-yul (18, KT Wiz), the indomitable ace who led Chungam High School to a second consecutive national championship in 2026, was selected by scouts from all 10 professional baseball teams and received the Choi Dong-won Award, given to the top high school pitcher.

Kim Ji-yul received the 9th Daesun High School Choi Dong-won Award at the 13th BNK Busan Bank Choi Dong-won Award Ceremony held on the 11th at the Ocean Hall in the main branch of BNK Busan Bank in Munhyeon-dong, Nam-gu, Busan.

The high school Choi Dong-won Award, established in 2018, selects its recipient through a vote by scouts from the 10th professional baseball teams. This year, out of 40 scouts who voted, Kim Ji-yul received 20 votes to be named the winner.

The competition was fierce. Ha Hyun-seung (18) of Busan High School, who was selected as the overall No. 1 pick in the 2027 rookie draft by the Kiwoom Heroes, received 18 votes. It was a margin of just two votes. Han Gyu-min (17) of Daejeon High School and Lee Jung-chan (19) of Uisin High School each received one vote.

Kim Ji-yul was a key figure in leading Chungam High School to a double crown in national tournaments this year. He took charge of the pitcher's mound during the team's victories in the Hwanggeum Saji and Bonghwa Daegi, and also led them to championships in the National Sports Festival and the recently concluded E-Mart No Brand Championship.

His final record for the year was 17 wins and 2 losses in 29 games, with an ERA of 1.57 and 171 strikeouts in 132⅓ innings. In particular, he played a vital role as the ace in Chungam High School's climb to the top of the Bonghwa Daegi for the first time in 19 years. In the semifinal against Busan High School, he threw 105 pitches and pitched well with two runs allowed over 5⅔ innings, advancing his team to the final.

Professional teams also highly evaluated Kim Ji-yul's potential. In September, he was selected by KT in the 3rd round, overall 25th pick, of the 2027 KBO rookie draft. In October, he completed his contract with a signing bonus of 100 million won.

A right-handed pitcher standing 186 cm tall and weighing 90 kg, he throws a fastball reaching speeds of 145 to 146 km/h and a sharp slider. His high release point and stable control are also cited as strengths. In fact, Kim Ji-yul threw more than 1,800 pitches in official games this year. At the National Sports Festival last month, he made three appearances over six days, handling 169 pitches, which raised concerns about the burden on his pitching arm.

In response, Kim Ji-yul previously told StarNews in an interview, "My physical condition was fine, and the manager kept asking me if I was okay. Since I felt fine too, I went up to the pitcher's mound," adding, "I am grateful that I have become a player who can take responsibility."

Such performance and sense of responsibility led to his receiving the Choi Dong-won Award. At the ceremony that day, Kim Ji-yul said, "I don't know if I deserve such a big award, but I am truly happy," and added, "It wasn't just because I did well; I think I was able to receive it because my coaches and manager guided me well, and my friends and juniors also supported me."

The pitcher he admires most is KT closer Park Young-hyun (23), but what drew the most attention was the question about which batter he would like to face in the professional league. Without hesitation, Kim Ji-yul said, "I want to throw a breaking ball that drops inside and compete," naming Goo Ja-wook, who won this year's Korea Series MVP and the batting championship.

Meanwhile, Kim Ji-yul, the recipient of the high school Choi Dong-won Award, was awarded a scholarship of 5 million won, and his affiliated school, Chungam High School, will also receive support of 5 million won. Kim Ji-yul conveyed his resolve, saying, "I want to become a player who is essential and dedicated to the team, like senior Choi Dong-won."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original