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I never thought a day would come when the Hanwha Eagles, a professional baseball team that went through a deep dark period, would have to worry like this. Since there was no room in the starting lineup, I was in a happy dilemma about how to use a special rookie pitcher.

Hanwha started a five-man starting rotation this year in that order: Ryu Hyun-jin, Felix Peña, Kim Min-woo, Ricardo Sánchez, and Moon Dong-ju. Rookie Hwang Jun-seo (19), a left-handed pitcher who was selected as the first overall pick this year, also competed as a starting candidate until the exhibition game, but ended up spending the season on the Futures team as there were no spots available.

Hwang Jun-seo, who has been selected for the youth national team since his second year at Jangchung High School, has a soft pitching form, good ball control, and a splitter, which is rare for a left-handed pitcher. There were many evaluations that he was a highly accomplished pitcher who would become a force right away. Hanwha coach Choi Won-ho, who had no choice but to send Hwang Jun-seo down to the second team ahead of the opening, said, “It’s unfortunate. It's very disappointing. I think he would do well even if he were to become a starter right now... “He savored his appetite.

It didn't take long to understand why Director Choi Won-ho was so disappointed. As Kim Min-woo skipped the rotation with left wing Jukjie Dam-i, Hwang Jun-seo's opportunity to start came sooner than expected, and he left a strong impression in his debut game. Hwang Jun-seo, who started as a starting pitcher in the home game between KT Wiz and Daejeon on the 31st of last month, led the team to a 14-3 victory with a good pitch in 5 innings, allowing 3 hits (1 home run), 2 walks, 5 strikeouts, and 1 run. He was the 10th high school rookie in history to win the starting game in his debut game, and showed a strong presence with guts and stability that were unusual for a 19-year-old rookie.

Hwang Jun-seo, who had a maximum speed of 149 km and an average of 145 km with a fastball (33) and a splitter (34) as his main weapon, pitched close to two pitches and occasionally mixed in a curve (6), but he had two balls that fit his body, but pitched aggressively with stable command. The extension was long and the deception that occurred while hiding the ball was good, making it difficult for batters facing it for the first time to respond.

He was also impressive in his ability to fight head-on rather than shy away from a crisis situation. In the second inning, with no outs on first and second base, he threw three fastballs to Hwang Jae-gyun and struck out three pitches. In the 3rd inning, with 2 outs and runners on 1st and 3rd base, he dropped the splitter low against Kang Baek-ho and then used it high toward the body once again, resulting in a missed strikeout. Both crises were prevented without conceding a goal.

Since Hwang Jun-seo's pitching in his debut game was so good, Hanwha also had a happy problem. It would be too wasteful to send him to the 2nd team right away. If the pitching quality is this high, starting class in the second team seems meaningless. However, the existing five starters are also pitching well, so it is difficult to leave anyone out. Kim Min-woo also achieved his first win against the Munhak SSG Landers on the 26th of last month with a combination of a fastball up to 148km and a forkball, allowing 2 hits, 3 walks, 6 strikeouts, and no runs in 5 innings. The preparation for the season was so good that we should give them more chances.

Regarding Hwang Jun-seo's future use ahead of the KT game on the 31st, Coach Choi said, "Regardless of the result of today's pitch, Kim Min-woo will pitch in the next starting pitch (against Gocheok Kiwoom Heroes on the 6th). If my physical condition is good at that time, I will continue to go to Kim Min-woo. “After watching Kim Min-woo’s appearance, we will decide how to use Hwang Jun-seo,” he said. Hwang Jun-seo will also accompany the first team and wait until Kim Min-woo's health is confirmed.

If there are no problems with Kim Min-woo, Hanwha will have to find new ways to use Hwang Jun-seo as the five-man starting lineup will remain the same. A 6-starter system can also be considered, but it is not suitable for the KBO league environment, which has frequent rain cancellations, heavy reliance on bullpens, and frequent use of replacement fielders. Because the starting pitcher eats up one more entry, no team has ever used a six-starter system all year long.

Realistically, the most likely option is to remain in the first team as a bullpen. It is highly likely that he will be used as a swingman who usually comes in when a starter is needed. Hwang Jun-seo said, “A player’s goal is to be in the first team. “No matter what position he is in, he can do well as long as he is in the first team,” he said, expressing hope to stay. Every player wants to be in the first team. This is especially true if you are a top-ranked young player. However, as he is a player that Hanwha needs to develop in the mid to long term, the field and front office are working together to consider the optimal path for Hwang Jun-seo. There is still time until this week to make a decision.

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