"If the ML draft comes out, 1R candidate" Kim Do-young plays KBO MVP + Premier 12 → ML interest is heating up
"If the ML draft comes out, 1R candidate" Kim Do-young plays KBO MVP + Premier 12 → ML interest is heating up
Blog Article
KIA Tigers' Kim Do-young (22) received the best evaluation among Korean players as a major league prospect.
Kim joined Kia as the first draft pick for the 2022 rookie draft, but failed to perform as expected due to bad luck such as injury during the first two seasons. However, he finally became a superstar last year with full potential. He had the best season with a batting average of 347 (for 189 hits in 544 at-bats), 38 homers, 109 RBIs, 143 runs, 40 steals, and OPS of 1.067.
It is no exaggeration to say that 2024 is the year of Kim Do-young. He has posted countless records and genuine records including the ninth 30 homers and 30 steals in KBO League history, the youngest and smallest game in history, the highest score ever recorded, the first monthly 10 homers and 10 steals, and the lowest ever natural cycling hit. He had a batting average of 235 (four hits in 17 at-bats) in five games, one homer, five RBIs and three runs scored and one stolen base OPS.821, contributing to Kia's 12th win in the Korean Series and its first win in the series. After the season ended, he won his first MVP and Golden Glove since his debut.
At the Premier 12, which was held in November last year, he was selected as a member of the national team with a batting average of 412 (seven hits in 17 at-bats), three homers, 10 RBIs, four runs, one stolen base, and OPS of 1.503 in five games, surprising foreign baseball experts. WBSC, which is hosting the Premier 12, introduced the best players of the tournament selected by experts after the event ended. Major League official media MLB.com Michael Clare selected Kim Do-young as the seventh and WBSC commentator Alex Cohen selected her as the third, paying attention to her potential.
Kim, who started drawing global attention, was also ranked 10th in the rankings of international promising players by U.S. baseball statistics website FanGraph. It is the highest ranking among Korean players. Kim Hye-sung, who successfully entered the Major League by signing a three-plus-two-year, maximum 22 million-dollar contract with the Dodgers this winter, ranked 42nd.
Kim scored 45+ points in the 20-80 scale, which is used in the Major League. If she scores 50 points in the 20-80 scale, she will be able to play as the starting player of the average team. Kim also received additional points in the 45 scale, which was evaluated as a possibility to grow into a starting player in the Major League.
"Kim showed tremendous growth starting from the 20-year-old season and led the KIA Tigers to victory last year. He spent the MVP season with .347/.420/.647, hitting 38 home runs and 40 steals, and also showed good performance in the third baseman's defense," the fan graph said. "Kim Do-young, who has an average physique, has to swing strongly to hit home runs in all directions of the stadium, and it is unclear whether his contact ability will work in the Major League due to his batting style. If he can keep his long-range hitting power while simplifying his swing, he will increase his chances of success in the Major League."
The most questionable part of FanGraph is Kim Do-young's power. When asked "Will Kim Do-young be able to hit 40 home runs in the Major League?" FanGraph said, "I don't think so. He seems to have about 20 to 25 home runs, and given his relatively modest physique, chances are not high that his natural power will increase significantly in the future."
Nevertheless, she has the potential to play in the Major League. The fan graph said, "However, she is good at everything in general. She is showing strong performance in her flagship game, and her defense at third base is in good shape considering her age. She has the potential to grow into a five-tool player." She added, "I don't think any of those tools will reach the plus level (60 points)," and added, "But if she is a promising player in the Major League rookie draft, she would be considered as a candidate for the latter half of the first round."
Kim, who is preparing for the 2025 season at the spring camp to have the best season and continue her good performance, said in an interview on her departure from the spring camp on June 23, "I have a ultimate goal to go to the Major League 바카라. I sometimes look for and watch important games such as the World Series. However, I still have a long way to go. For now, I am playing baseball thinking about becoming a player who can contribute to the Kia Tigers team," stressing that she needs to grow further in order to advance to the Major League.