“I’m not young, but I’m still not old.”
There was a year of stagnation, but LA Dodgers right-handed prospect Choi Hyun-il (23) did not give up.
Choi Hyun-il is finishing the season at the top single-A Great Lakes Loons.
Preparation for the season was slightly delayed, and he was placed on the injured list once in the middle due to a strained bicep, but he went 60 innings in 16 games and finished with 4 wins, 5 losses, an ERA of 3.75, WHIP of 1.25, 6 home runs, 12 walks, and 46 strikeouts.
He met at the Doe Diamond in Midland, Michigan, the home stadium of the Midwest League Division Series on the 16th (Korean time), when Game 3 of the Midwest League Division Series was held, and looked back on the season, saying, “The wave was big.”
“I was doing well, but then I had a really bad game, and then I was doing well again, and then I had a really bad game, and this trend continued. Still, I feel fortunate that I pitched over 60 innings for the first time since getting injured.”
Choi Hyun-il recorded an ERA of 3.55 in 106 1/3 innings in Single A and Higher Single A in 2021, and received the Branch Rickey Award given to the Dodgers’ best prospect.
However, he encountered an unexpected reef in the 2022 season. He started the season well as the opening day starter for the top Single A team, but left the team due to injury after appearing in his first game.
“It wasn’t like his muscles were torn or anything. “It wasn’t a serious injury, but the pain lingered, so I put it off and lost the season.”
After missing the season due to rehabilitation, he filled in the missing innings in the Arizona Fall League held after the season ended. He pitched 13 1/3 innings in 9 games, allowing 8 runs with 5 home runs, 8 walks, and 8 strikeouts. He gained rigorous experience against top prospects selected by each club.
“It may be an excuse, but I got sick with coronavirus right before I went to Arizona. Even now, when I think about it, I still regret what it would have been like if my condition had been better. I didn’t pitch well in the first few games, but I pitched well in the end, and I thought, ‘I can still compete even if I’m in such bad shape.’ “It was a good experience for me to think, ‘If I’m in good condition, anything is possible.’”
If all goes according to plan, the 2023 season should have been spent in Double A. But life doesn’t always go as planned. It’s a shame that his time was halted for a year due to injury.
“Can not help it. “It’s no use regretting,” he continued, adding, “The 2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19, and I couldn’t pitch in 2022 due to injury, so this year was actually the third season. I think we can finish well here and do well next year.카지노 “I’m not young, but I’m not old either,” he said, showing a positive mindset.
Promising players on the same team always provide great stimulation to him. He selected left-hander Justin Wroblewski, who pitched 102 1/3 innings in 25 games this season, with an ERA of 2.90, 35 walks, and 109 strikeouts, as the most impressive player on the team.
“He has six pitches and throws his fastball up to 98 mph. He thinks he’ll be seen in the Dodgers soon. “I feel like my skills continue to improve as I compete with those kids.”
He said that he does not yet know which team he will join in 2024, and that he plans to focus more on strength training, saying, “I think my velocity can increase further if I strengthen my strength.”
His team, the Dodgers, is a club with a deep relationship with Korean players. In 2024, another Korean player will wear the Dodgers uniform. The main character is Jang Hyun-seok, who signed an amateur free agent contract. He was ranked 21st among Dodgers prospects by MLB.com, even though he has not yet appeared in an official game.
Choi Hyun-il said, “Even so, the Korean management company is the same. “The national team contacted me and said, ‘Take care of me,’ and I responded, ‘Don’t worry,’” he said, introducing an anecdote.
He revealed that he had never met in person, but contacted him online right after the news of the contract, saying, “I think he’s better at baseball than me,” and expressed humility, “If I can be of help in life in the U.S. or something like that, I will act as a senior.” I think I can. “I am close to many people, so I can help them become friends,” he said, expressing his intention to help his juniors adapt to the local environment.
Because they are different in age and level, they will never play on the same team. Nevertheless, attending spring camp together can be helpful. “It would be nice to help out and even use Korean during spring camp. “If I had had that opportunity, I think it would have been easier to adapt to life here,” he said, reaffirming his willingness to lend a helping hand “as someone chasing the same dream.”