In 23⅓ innings, he struck out a whopping 30 batters, and in his most recent outing, he threw a ‘no-hitter’ with 11 strikeouts. However, a first-team call-up for the ‘Super Rookie’ is expected to take some time.
After graduating from Gyeongnam High School, Shin was selected by the NC Dinos with the fourth overall pick in the first round of the 2023 rookie draft. The Dinos didn’t miss out on the prospect, who went 4-1 with a 2.40 ERA in 14 appearances while at Gyeongnam, striking out a whopping 90 batters in 59⅔ innings pitched.
Shin’s “Dr. K” instincts may be in the second tier, but they’ve worked in the professional ranks as well. Last month, Shin Young-woo gave up four runs (four earned) with four strikeouts in 4⅓ innings against the KT Wiz on April 8, three runs (three earned) with one strikeout in 2⅓ innings against the Samsung Lions on April 15, and four runs (four earned) with six strikeouts in 4⅔ innings against the Hanwha Eagles’ second team.
Since May, however, Shin has been different. After throwing seven innings of one-hit ball with eight strikeouts against the KIA Tigers on May 14, Shin rebounded to throw five innings of no-hit ball with 11 strikeouts against the Samsung on May 24, earning his first win in the second team.
Shin was clearly “overwhelmed” as he mixed his fastball, curveball, and splitter up to 153 kilometers and struck out 11 of the 15 batters he faced. Although he wasn’t on the field due to his first-team duties, Kang Myung-ho watched the ‘super rookie’ pitch without missing a beat.
When asked if he had seen Shin Young-woo pitch before the Busan Lotte Giants game on the 24th, Kang replied, “I did.” However, rather than praise, the manager expressed a bit of disappointment and gave Shin Young-woo some homework. He gave Shin some homework: improve his jagged pitches.
Shin struck out 90 batters in 59⅔ innings in high school, but he also walked 46 batters. This seemed to carry over to the second team. In 23⅓ innings, he has 23 strikeouts. A ratio of nearly one strikeout per inning is certainly disappointing. While this may be working for the second team, it’s unclear if it will work for the first team.
“It’s true that the number of walks has decreased. The strikeouts are increasing, but it’s the walks that are still the problem. I’m still worried about the four walks compared to 11 strikeouts,” said Kang. “I would rate him much higher if I saw him get a strikeout, but I would like to see him reduce his walks a bit.”
“Right now, I see him working the count with his breaking ball (changeup) and getting strikes with his fastball and splitter. But if you look a little further into the future, I’d like to see him pitch more with his fastball and utilize the strength of his breaking ball.”
Still, it’s encouraging to see that the number of strikeouts has gradually decreased from four in his first appearance, seven in the second, five in the third, and two in the fourth. “I can definitely see that he’s getting better than he was at the beginning of the season,” Kang agreed.먹튀검증
At the moment, NC is not in a rush for starting resources. ‘Ace’ Eric Peddy is the best pitcher in the KBO, and Taylor Widener, who missed the opening day roster due to a back injury, will make his first appearance on the 28th. Koo Chang-mo, who has been designated for assignment, will also return after the break. Choi Sung-young, Lee Jae-hak, and Lee Yong-jun also have plenty of resources.
Kang will likely keep Shin Young-woo in the second team for the time being to give him more experience. He’ll likely get a chance to step up to the first team when his performance in the second team stabilizes a bit more.