Kiwoom Heroes pitcher An Woo-jin continues his build-up for the season opener with standout performances. He recently clocked a top speed of 157 km/h during practice, signaling strong form despite minor control adjustments.
Strong Scrimmage Showing
On March 8 at Jamsil Baseball Stadium, An Woo-jin delivered two innings in an open scrimmage against the Doosan Bears, securing the victory with effective pitching. Following elbow surgery after the 2023 season and subsequent recovery in the United States, he returned from injury camp showing improved velocity but initial command challenges.
In a follow-up session, he maintained high speeds with imperfect sinker and riseball command, peaking at 157 km/h.
Futures Tune-Up and Weather Watch
An Woo-jin takes the mound on March 9 at Goyang National Stadium in a Futures League game against the Hanwha Eagles, projected for one inning. Kiwoom coach noted, “We expect a maximum of 30 pitches in one inning. If the pitch count exceeds 30, we’ll make a coaching decision.”
He added, “Early pitches may feature some imperfections as part of his development.” However, rain forecasts could impact the outing.
Lotte Giants Start in Sight
Weather permitting, An Woo-jin eyes a start on March 12 at Gocheok Sky Dome against the Lotte Giants in a home game. The coach emphasized, “Imperfect pitching at this stage serves as growing pains in his professional progression.”
Roster Updates and Lineup
Kiwoom announced a two-year first-team contract extension for 2025 draftee Jeong Se-yeong (8th round, 71st overall). This marks his second first-team start since debuting, following his initial outing on August 3, 2025—249 days prior. In Futures League action, he logged two starts over nine innings with a 2.00 ERA.
The coach highlighted ongoing development: “We’re building him into a four-inning pitcher with around 80 pitches. Depending on condition and performance, we aim for 90 pitches across five innings if he performs well.”
For the March 8 spring training game, Kiwoom fielded this lineup: Trent Blake (1B), An Chi-hong (DH), Lee Ju-hyung (CF), Choi Ju-hwan (3B), Park Chan-hyuk (LF), Park Ju-hong (RF), Eo Jun-seo (2B), Kim Jae-hyun (C), Park Han-gyeol (SS).
