Rookie pitchers Cho Dae-hyun and Kim Min-ju pitched a scoreless pitch, and Kim Min-ju struck out all three batters.

This year, the freshmen wearing the KIA Tigers uniform left a strong impression in their first practice game.

KIA checked the players' skills through the first practice game of the spring camp held at Narabunda Ball Park in Canberra, Australia on the 18th (Korean time).

While 21 fielders and 12 pitchers were divided into black and red teams, the rookie pitchers' gutsy pitches attracted attention. Among the 2024 KIA rookie players, pitchers Cho Dae-hyun and Kim Min-ju are training at spring camp.

Minju Kim, who graduated from Baemyung High School and Gangneung Yeongdong University, is a right-handed sidearm pitcher who was selected by KIA with the 66th pick in the 7th round of the 2024 rookie draft. Kim Min-ju took the mound as the second pitcher on the black team, following Jang Min-ki.

He received a passing grade in his first actual pitch. Kim Min-ju struck out Go Myeong-seong, Han Seung-taek, and Joo Hyo-sang in succession. Joo Hyo-sang hit a double in his next at-bat, but was caught by Kim Min-ju's bold pitch.

Kim Min-ju, who finished the inning cleanly with 10 balls, was effective with her fastballs (7). His average and highest speeds were 139.5 km/h and 141 km/h, respectively. As his pitching condition improves, his velocity is expected to increase. As for breaking balls, he used a mix of sliders (2) and changeups (1).

Cho Dae-hyun, who graduated from Gangneung High School, is a right-handed pitcher who was selected by KIA as the 6th pick in the first round in the 2024 rookie draft. He has a sturdy physique with a height of 193 cm and a weight of 90 kg, and he throws fast balls up to 151 km per hour.

KIA’s expectations for Cho Dae-hyun, who was selected in the first round, are high. KIA general manager Shim Jae-hak said of Cho Dae-hyun, “If he grows through the training system, his potential will likely explode.”

Cho Dae-hyun appeared in the 7th inning as the red team pitcher. He treated Kim Ho-ryeong and Park Min with fly balls to right field and finished his appearance after giving up a walk to Oh Seon-woo. It was encouraging to see that Kim Ho-ryeong, who hit a timely hit with 2 RBIs in his first at-bat that day, was hit with a base hit. He threw 5 fastballs and 5 sliders each.

Yoon Young-cheol, a rookie last year, and Choi Ji-min, a sophomore, stood out in practice and exhibition games. Yoon Young-cheol and Choi Ji-min, who did not miss the opportunity given to them, showed their full potential in the regular season. If they consistently demonstrate their skills and prove their competitiveness, Kim Min-ju and Cho Dae-hyun can quickly establish themselves in the first team. Attention is drawn to the actions of baby tigers who have shown potential. 고스톱