Move the Taegeuk mark from his left arm to his chest. Instead of carrying a gun on his back, he wears a glove and shows off his skills. ‘Rookie King’ Jeong Cheol-won (24, Doosan)’s entry into the international arena is “victory, not experience.” It’s just a feat.
Jeong Cheol-won wore the Taegeuk mark for the first time in his life. He was proudly named in the final entry for the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC). He laughed, saying, “I don’t have any youth representative experience,” and said boldly, “My goal is to show a figure that doesn’t become someone in the Taegeuk mark.”
He is a pitcher who appeared like a comet and stopped the fall of the dynasty. Jung Cheol-won, who was called by Doosan with the 안전놀이터 20th overall pick in the 2nd round of the 2018 rookie draft, quickly completed his military service and returned to the team to focus on correcting his pitching form. Seizing the opportunity amidst the collapse of the mound last year, he digested 72.2 innings in 58 games, 4 wins, 3 losses, 3 saves, 23 holds, and an average ERA of 3.10, solidifying his position as a ‘successful group’. The ‘Rookie of the Year’ title that followed after the season was enough to reward his efforts over the past four years.
Jeong Cheol-won, who is making his international debut with the WBC, joked, “It’s my first time on the national team, but I served as an artilleryman for 18 months and wore the Taegeuk mark on my left arm.” The goal is to show the power of ‘K-Pilseungjo’ to the world’s top players by entering the WBC with the spirit of national defense. He said, “I haven’t decided which country I want to deal with. Last season, I threw all my strength against any opponent. There is nothing different about being a national team. There will be no easy opponents, but I will give my all to all hitters and contribute to making good results.”
Using his tall height (192 cm), his pitch with a high hitting point is excellent. The fact that he does not run away with thick guts also captured the heart of national team coach Lee Kang-cheol. He uses a fast-falling forkball, but he is good at defense, so it seems to be useful in the game.
That is why it is important to improve your condition before the competition. Jeong Cheol-won said, “I am training with the goal of pitching before the start of the Australian spring camp (February 1). After faithfully digesting his personal training, he will refine his pitch at the camp and join the national team.” The pride of being a ‘national representative’ began to sprout in the baby bear’s heart.