A “five-tool player,” top college infielder Yoo Jung-taek (Korea University 2) will enter the 2024 KBO Draft on September 14 as an early draftee.
A top high school infielder alongside Kim Do-young of the KIA Tigers and Han Tae-yang of the Lotte Giants, Yoo was already a well-known player in the Seoul area, having been a starter since his freshman year at baseball’s prestigious Duksugo High School. In his senior year, he batted .390 with 32 hits, 16 doubles, 33 runs scored, and 16 stolen bases in 23 games. He also posted an impressive 1.119 OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) and stood out as a versatile player who could play both infield and outfield defense.
He has the fundamentals and athleticism to play every position except catcher. He has been a consistent leadoff hitter and center fielder since his freshman year of college, and this year he showed off his excellent leadoff and long ball skills with a .383 batting average and 1.097 OPS. He has been a consistent hitter since high school, with an OPS of just over 1.000.
Yoo proved to be the centerpiece of KU’s offense at the 78th National Collegiate Baseball Championship this year, finishing third in the batting order with a .467 batting average. He batted leadoff in every game except for the first game against Yeouido University, where he posted a .480 batting average with five RBIs and an on-base percentage, helping KU win its first title in 11 years.
Another advantage of Yoo is that she is a spray heater. His batting lineup is evenly split between left and right, and he has the ability to make contact with few strikeouts.
The head of the scouting team of a professional team in the Seoul metropolitan area said, “He didn’t get drafted because of his high school performance. He’s a player we’re keeping an eye on. I think he will get more attention even though he is a college player because there is a shortage of outstanding outfielders this year. He’s undersized, but he has quick feet, an accurate leadoff hitter, and long power. He’s got good power for his size, and he’s got a good ability to gather and deliver power to the bat. His best attribute is his quick feet.”토스카지노
Lee Sang-geun, president of the Korea Youth Baseball Federation, who has watched Yoo since he was in the fifth grade, said, “His athleticism is second to none. It’s really strange that he wasn’t nominated when he was in high school, and he has all the qualities to become the next Jung Soo-bin or Park Hae-min. His concentration on baseball is second to none, and he also has a badass grit. I hope that more players like Yoo Jung-taek will become better.”