"Even KBO undrafted players are getting a second look": The changing MLB landscape is sending more Korean high school prospects to the U.S., broadening their options [The Changing American Dream ③]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Major League Baseball (MLB) teams have broadened their perspective on Korean high school prospects. It is no longer a story reserved solely for top-tier talents projected as No. 1 overall picks. The United States has become a new option even for players who went undrafted in the KBO Rookie Draft.

A representative case is Cho Woo-jin (18), a right-handed sidearm pitcher from Jang'an High School, who recently signed with the Toronto Blue Jays. Although Cho submitted an application to participate in this year's KBO Rookie Draft, he was not selected by any of the 10th teams. A few years ago, it is highly likely that he would have prioritized attending university or joining a professional team as a developmental player. However, he chose to go to the United States.

According to the official website of the Korea Baseball and Softball Association (KBSA), Cho stands 185 cm tall and weighs 77 kg. He is a right-handed sidearm pitcher. This year, in 12 games and 45 innings, he recorded a 2-4 record with an ERA of 3.20 and 60 strikeouts. His strikeout rate reached 12 per nine innings, but he issued 22 walks and allowed 8 hit batters, making his control a distinct weakness.

KBO scout A told StarNews, "His control was not very good," while explaining, "Despite being a sidearm pitcher, he throws fastballs at 145 km/h, and his slider is of the sweeper variety. That aspect could have been viewed as attractive in MLB."

When asked about this case, MLB scout B said, "Undrafted players clearly have reasons for not being selected in KBO," while adding, "MLB teams also look at how much a player can develop when exposed to our facilities and development systems."

He further explained the recent trend, stating, "Major League teams do not exclusively seek players who can deliver immediate performance. There is a gradual shift toward re-evaluating undrafted players who possess good tools and traits."

This does not mean that KBO teams' evaluations were wrong and MLB teams were right. In the KBO Rookie Draft, teams must judge both current completion level and growth potential within the limited number of draft picks. Conversely, MLB teams can view a player's appearance several years down the line by different standards within their long-term development systems.

Players' mindsets are also changing. As of November, university admissions for high school seniors are underway. For players not selected in the KBO Rookie Draft, attending a domestic university or joining a professional team as a developmental player remains an important career path. Recently, options such as attending overseas universities, including those in the United States, or challenging overseas professional teams have begun to enter the mix.

In that regard, Cho Woo-jin is actually a case of seizing an opportunity early. Regarding undrafted players heading to MLB, KBO scout A said, "I think it is a good opportunity. While others pay money to study abroad, these players are essentially going to study abroad while being paid." He added, "Even if they do not receive a large signing bonus, they can try their hand in the United States and then find a path that suits their situation afterward."

Institutionally, there is also a way back open for players like Cho Woo-jin. Article 108, Paragraph ⑩ of the 2026 KBO Baseball Regulations restricts players who have applied to the Rookie Draft and negotiated with foreign professional teams from signing player contracts with KBO teams for two years. However, it explicitly states as an exception cases where "a player participated in the draft but went undrafted and subsequently negotiated with a foreign team to find a club."

Players who signed with overseas clubs after participating in the draft and going undrafted, like Cho Woo-jin, are not subject to this restriction. The improvement of the U.S. minor league environment compared to the past has also broadened options. MLB scout B said, "Former players talk about how hard it was to survive in the minor leagues, but things have changed a lot now." He added, "They are provided with housing and meals, and receive salaries according to regulations. An environment where they can devote themselves to training is being established."

In fact, minor leaguers have signed a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with MLB offices applicable from 2023 to 2027, and under the current system, they receive support for housing, meals, and level-based salaries. English classes are also operated. This differs from the past environment where players who received small signing bonuses had to survive by using most of that money for room and board.

Of course, this does not mean going to the United States is a better choice. Players must adapt to an unfamiliar language and culture and endure long competition with prospects from around the world starting from the lowest level. Conversely, the KBO League has the advantage of allowing players to compete against the best domestic players in a familiar environment and look toward the first division stage relatively quickly. Attending university is also a path that allows players to further develop their physicality and skills before challenging the professional ranks again.

The important point is not that one side is the right answer, but that options have increased. As the level of Korean amateur baseball rises and the scope of interest from overseas teams broadens, career paths for student-athletes are also diversifying. KBO scout A said, "Players who were not drafted by KBO must have dreams they had in mind, right? I view it positively because they are pursuing those dreams."

If the 'American Dream' of Korean high school players in the past was represented by top-tier prospects leaving for large sums of money as No. 1 overall picks, now even players not selected by KBO can find a new path through overseas teams that evaluate their strengths by different standards.

This poses a new challenge to the KBO League as well. Rather than keeping young players in the country simply by making it difficult for them to go abroad, it is becoming increasingly important to present development environments, playing opportunities, and career paths that make these players feel that "playing in Korea is the best choice for my growth."

The appearance of the American Dream is changing. At the same time, Korean baseball is at a point where it must consider how attractive an option it will be for young players who now have more choices.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original