A 19-year-old rookie’s 150km fastball is as varied as a sinker-cutter-two-seam… The 134-win legend coach admires it too

Song Young-jin (19), a rookie pitcher of SSG Landers, is attracting attention with a surprise good pitch at the beginning of the season. SSG director Kim Won-hyung praised her smile, which is so heartwarming that it doesn’t hurt to put it in her eyes.

Song Young-jin joined in the 2nd round (overall ranking) in the 2023 rookie draft. She made it to the opening roster after performing well in spring camp practice and exhibition games. In 4 exhibition games, he pitched 6 innings with 4 hits, 4 walks, 5 strikeouts, 2 runs, 1 earned run, and an earned run average of 1.50.

After the opening, he threw two middle pitches, and in mid-April, Kim Gwang-hyun missed the first team entry due to a shoulder injury, and took a temporary selection opportunity. Song Young-jin recorded his second win of the season with QS with 3 runs (2 earned) in 6 innings against LG on the 26th. He appeared in 5 games (3 starts) and has 2 wins and an earned run average of 1.93.  메이저놀이터

In an interview after the victory on the 26th, Song Young-jin said, “My fastball can be a two-seam, sinker, or cutter.” Out of 85 pitches against LG, only 71 fastballs (83.5%) were thrown, but LG batters failed to target them properly. There was a reason.

Director Kim Won-hyung said, “Usually, fastballs are caught with the index finger, but Young-jin seemed to get caught in the middle. If it gets caught a little strangely from the middle finger, the tip of the ball seems to change slightly like a natural cutter or two-seam,” he said. The ball speed is also 150 km, and the ball is strong, so it is short and short, but the probability of hitting is low. The catcher says catching is a bit difficult.”

“There are times when there are small changes, and there are times when it just comes in like a four-seam. Then, as it becomes a ball, it is put into the strike zone.”