Deoksu High School right-hander Shim Jun-seok (18) crosses the Pacific Ocean.
‘MLB.com’ reported on the 15th that Shim Jun-seok agreed to a contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The contract amount was not disclosed.
January 15, local time, is the day when the contract fee limit for amateur players under the age of 25 is newly applied. Each club has signed contracts with foreign prospects who have been making eye contact, and Shim Jun-seok also joined the ranks.
Shim Jun-seok was ranked 10th in the list 안전놀이터 of foreign amateur prospects selected by MLB.com and attracted the attention of the local media. Pittsburgh is known to have shown strong interest in Shim Jun-seok to the extent that a high-ranking official from the club personally visited Korea to watch him throw.
MLB.com said of Shim Jun-seok, “The average velocity is around 94 to 96 miles, and he can throw up to 100 miles. He has a great curve and is gradually showing good athletic ability with a strong body.”
Since his freshman year of high school, Shim Jun-seok has been attracting attention as the best amateur pitcher by throwing fastballs in the 150 km range. In his third year, he was evaluated as less valuable, but he was eventually selected by a major league club.