Moon Dong-ju, the ‘present and future’ of Hanwha Mound, had his first bullpen pitching on the 4th (hereafter Korean time) at Belbank Park in Mesa, Arizona, USA. Moon Dong-ju threw 17 pitches that day, and considering it was his first bullpen pitching, he used only 70% of his strength. 안전놀이터
According to the Hanwha front desk, Moon Dong-ju easily recorded the highest fastball of 151 km. Han Seung-hyeok, who started bullpen pitching with Moon Dong-ju, also reached a maximum distance of 146 km. Nam Ji-min also pitched in the bullpen with them. General manager Son Hyuk and manager Carlos Subero watched their first bullpen pitching.
As Moon Dong-ju pitched, the people around him exclaimed. Captain Son Hyuk, who had been watching quietly, also nodded his head and put on a happy expression. The reporters all held their breath and carried Moon Dong-ju’s bullpen pitch. Moon Dong-ju also exited the bullpen with a satisfied expression.
Moon Dong-ju joined as the first nomination in 2022 and is considered the next ace. He went back and forth between starting and bullpen last year, recording an average ERA of 5.65 with 1 win, 3 losses and 2 holds in 13 games. He suffered minor injuries during spring training and the season, which prevented him from fulfilling his first-team dream.
However, Hanwha is nurturing Moon Dong-ju with a long breath. It’s true that he needs to grow into the next ace, but he doesn’t even want to entrust the core of the mound right away. He tries to give him enough time to suffer from growing pains, such as establishing his routine, maximizing his strengths, fixing his weaknesses, and experiencing the side effects.
General Manager Son Hyuk, who we met on the field, said, “Moon Dong-ju is really good when he sees the ball. He is just good.” However, he did not hastily pour out hopeful remarks or be optimistic about the future. The front desk has a big frame, and on-site leaders such as Jose Rosado pitching coach are trying to approach meticulously.
Coach Rosado said, “I look very good and I have prepared well physically. Since last year, he has shown a good figure enough to watch as a fan. I am really looking forward to this season.”