The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed Jang Hyun-seok, and he hasn’t even been introduced to local fans yet.
MLB.com, the official website of Major League Baseball (MLB), recently released its midseason prospect rankings over the past three days. On the 15th, we introduced the top 100 overall MLB prospects, and on the 16th, we published the rankings of each team’s farm prospects. On Sunday, MLB.com revealed the top 30 prospects for each organization, with Jang ranked 22nd on the list. MLB.com has an ETA of 2027 for Jang’s big league debut.
While 22nd on a team may seem low at first glance, a closer look reveals that it’s not. For starters, most of the Dodgers’ top 10 prospects are minor league proven. Kyle Hurt, who has recently garnered attention for his Double-A success, is #13, and Ryan Peppiott, who has struggled in Triple-A and hasn’t made it to MLB, is #10. He hasn’t thrown a single pitch in the United States yet. For an Asian high schooler that MLB.com, Baseball America, and other evaluators haven’t looked at locally, it’s fair to give him the 22nd spot on the Dodgers.
Scouting reports are also positive. MLB.com gave Jang a 60 on his fastball, slider, and curveball. On a Scouting Report scale of 80 out of 100, with a low of 20, a 60 is a positive grade.
MLB.com wrote, “Jang has three above-average (plus-grade) pitches. His four-seam fastball averages 93-95 miles per hour (149-152 km/h) and has touched 97 miles per hour (156 km/h). He also has a hard slider that sits 84-87 miles per hour (135-140 km/h) and a curveball that sits 76-82 miles per hour (122-131 km/h). He has an outstanding changeup.”
His changeup and secondary pitches were rated at an average 50. “His 82-84 mph (132-135 km/h) changeup lacks command compared to his other pitches, but with more refinement, it could be an average offering,” the outlet said, adding, “His stuff is good. He can develop into a mid-rotation starter or better. I see him making his major league debut in 2027.”
That’s not far behind the top pitchers the Dodgers have signed and brought to the big leagues in recent years. Walker Buehler, the Dodgers’ first-round pick and ace, has a 60 fastball, 55 curve, 55 slider, 55 breaking ball, and 50 changeup in his early minor league career.온라인카지노
Bobby Miller, who is 7-2 with a 3.70 ERA in his MLB debut this season, also had a 65 fastball, 55 slider, and 50 changeup in the minors. His fastball was just 45. It’s encouraging to see that Jang, who is still in high school, has three plus pitches in his evaluation, unlike the two college players.
This could change dramatically once he starts playing in the minor leagues. International prospects tend to see their ratings change dramatically once they show that they are ready for the American game. The Dodgers have one of the best developmental environments in the MLB, so he has a good chance. It’s up to Jang to prove it.