Bae Ji-hwan (24, Pittsburgh) made his debut in the Major League (MLB) with difficulty. However, prospects in the same position are waiting for their big league debut one after another. In the end, utility abilities are the only way to survive.
On the 21st (Korean time), MLB.com, the official website of Major League Baseball, announced the ranking of second base prospects from 30 big league clubs for the 2023 season.
The first place was Termar Johnson (19, Pittsburgh). Joining Pittsburgh in the 2022 rookie draft with the 4th overall pick in the first round, he was recognized for his fast bat speed and power despite his small physique of 170cm and 79kg. MLB.com gave a review saying, “He is a player who can hit 25 or more home runs every year.”
Nick Gonzalez (24), who signed with Pittsburgh as the 7th pick in the 1st round of 2020, went up in 7th place. In 2021, he was second at second base, and in 71 double-A games last year, he recorded a batting average of 0.263, 7 homers, 33 RBIs, and an 토토사이트 OPS of 0.812. Despite struggling with injuries in his last two years, he was well regarded as an offensive second baseman.
Both players are playing in the minor leagues under the Pittsburgh umbrella and are waiting to enter the big leagues. MLB.com expects Gonzalez to make his Major League debut this year and Johnson in 2025.
And just two years ago, Pittsburgh had another second base prospect. It is Bae Ji-hwan. He started his career as a shortstop after advancing to the United States in 2018. After moving to second base, he became a highly regarded prospect in contact and running. In 2021, he was ranked ninth in the rankings of second base prospects.
However, as Gonzalez and Johnson stood out, Bae Ji-hwan’s second baseman position was threatened. Accordingly, he played as center fielder in 24 Triple A games last year, and even after joining the big leagues in September, he appeared more as center fielder (5 games) than second baseman (4 games).
Although Bae Ji-hwan has achieved excellent results in the minor leagues and advanced to the big leagues quickly, the presence of the two first-rounders is greater than expected. If all of them are in the top 10, expectations from the club are expected to be high. It’s a situation where you can’t survive by sticking to the second baseman.
However, as he showed potential in the major leagues, Bae Ji-hwan is expected to survive in the big leagues as a super backup. In fact, Bae Ji-hwan was listed as a backup agent on the depth charts of various baseball-related sites in the United States. His quick feet and ability to play a variety of positions can be of great help in managing the season.
Of course, it’s not easy for him to get a starting spot. Andrew McCutchen (37), the former franchise star of the team, returned to the outfield position, and Rodolfo Castro (24), who recorded 11 home runs in the 2022 season, took second base. However, if he can play a variety of positions, he can survive the challenges of junior second base prospects.