A new record was written in the history of Korean baseball. All three Korean players who tried out for the U.S. professional women's baseball league, 'WPBL (Women's Pro Baseball League),' Kim Hyun-ah, Kim Ra-kyung, and Park Joo-ah, achieved the feat of being selected in the top rounds of the draft. With this, the advancement of three Korean players to the U.S. women's professional baseball league, which will be revived next year after about 70 years, is virtually confirmed, heralding the birth of the country's first "professional women baseball players".
In August, the draft rankings of Kim Hyun-ah, Kim Ra-kyung, and Park Joo-ah, who went to the United States in person to participate in the tryouts, exceeded expectations. Kim Hyun-ah (25), a catcher for the Korea national team, was selected fourth overall in the first round, the first among the Korean players to have her name called.
This was a higher ranking than many leading players of the U.S. women's national baseball team, and Kim Hyun-ah, whose name was called before them, could not hide her surprise. Kim Hyun-ah said her hands were shaking as she watched the screen and could not believe her ranking. Having said since the tryout that she wanted to play in Boston, Kim Hyun-ah became Boston's "one pick." WPBL appears to have highly valued Kim Hyun-ah's international experience, steady defense, and strong leadership.
The second player whose name was called was Korea's women's baseball icon, pitcher Kim Ra-kyung (25). Kim Ra-kyung was selected by New York with the 11th overall pick in the first round. As soon as her name was called, Kim Ra-kyung clasped her hands and stood up, repeatedly expressing her gratitude. She added that her goal is to be the unquestioned No. 1 starter and said she wants to be a player people can feel reassured about when Kim Ra-kyung is the starter, showing strong determination. Kim Ra-kyung is a pioneer and the representative ace pitcher of Korean women's baseball, holding many "first" titles. WPBL also appears to have valued Kim Ra-kyung's stability as a pitcher and the path she has walked, leading to New York's first-round selection.
National team shortstop and women's baseball idol Park Joo-ah (20) was selected by San Francisco with the 33rd overall pick in the second round. Park Joo-ah said she looks forward to "the world's best women baseball players gathering to form a league and play games," expressing excitement about the new stage. WPBL appears to have highly valued Park Joo-ah's excellent fundamentals and smooth defense.
WPBL is scheduled to open in August next year. There is growing anticipation about how players who have long dreamed of being "professional baseball players" will perform on the U.S. stage and what marks they will leave in women's baseball history.
The challenge of Korean women baseball players toward their dream is being produced as a documentary by SBS and is preparing for broadcast. The SBS documentary "Even if it's crazy, women's baseball," which captures without omission the three players' intense tryout preparation process, the vivid scenes of the WPBL tryouts held in the United States, and the ecstatic moments of being drafted, is scheduled to air in early January next year.
[Photo] SBS
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