Monday, July 1, 2013

The Best Thrower in KBO

Kim Kwang Hyun was one of Korea’s top pitching prospects. He had a modest pro debut after signing with Wyverns for 500 million won as a first-round pick. He went 3-7 with a 3.67 ERA in his rookie season. Immediately Sophomore Kim Kwang Hyun had put together a breakout season in his second year and established himself as top hurler in KBO. He plowed through the league with a leading 16-4 record and 150 strikeouts in 162 innings pitched, and finished second with a 2.39 ERA. In a three-year stretch from 2008 to 2010, Kim was once considered a force on the mound and seemed to have a bright future ahead of him. Since then Kim appears to be halted by a string of injuries. He has been a major disappointment in the past two seasons after pitching well in 2010. He posted a combined 12-11 record in 156 innings with a 4.56 ERA, 1.51 WHIP and 4.67 BB/9. Kim’s average fastball velocity dropped from 143.6km/h in 2010 to 141.6km/h in 2012.