Is it really possible to be this thrilled about a foreign pitcher's 144 km/h fastball? Concerns about Logan Allen, the foreign pitcher for the NC Dinos, have somewhat subsided. It has been confirmed that there is a planned buildup.

Logan, the left-handed foreign pitcher for NC, started in a practice game against the Fubon Guardians of the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) at the Asia-Pacific International Baseball Center in Taiwan on the 25th, throwing 33 pitches over 2 innings while allowing 2 runs. He recorded 2 runs, allowing 3 doubles but striking out 3 batters.

More than the results, what drew interest on this day was Logan's velocity. After arriving in Taiwan, Logan recorded a top speed of 135 km/h with 70% effort in his first bullpen session. Now, he needs to participate in actual games soon, but curiously, he was not showing the expected velocity. The opening game is still far off, but as he is entering actual competition, his velocity and command need to improve to be ready for real games. Other foreign pitchers from different teams were showcasing speeds in the mid to upper 140 km/h to low 150 km/h range at the same point. His teammate Riley Thompson had already hit a top speed of 154 km/h during bullpen sessions. Time appeared to be moving slowly for Logan. Logan is a type that throws various pitches. He is not an overwhelming fireballer. Nonetheless, this level of velocity was surprising to everyone. Last year, the average speed of fastballs in Major League Baseball was 91.3 mph (about 147 km). The top speed reached 92.5 mph (about 149 km). While it is a slow speed in Major League Baseball, it is competitive when applied to the KBO League.

Logan was raising his fitness level according to his plan. He adjusted his pace to align with the opening. He actively participated in performance analysis meetings. He prepared questions for the coaching staff and the analytics team. However, the coaching staff was puzzled by Logan's slow pace, and Manager Lee Ho-jun noted that he would wait until Logan gets on track, but this was not sufficient to wash away concerns. Ultimately, Logan needed to show results in the game that day.

Logan demonstrated that he has a plan. He recorded a top velocity of 144 km/h with his four-seam fastball on this day. He threw 13 four-seam fastballs, 11 changeups, 4 sliders, 3 curves, and 2 cutters, utilizing a total of 5 different pitches. He raised his velocity while checking various pitches and completed his first game appearance.

His somewhat slow pace seemed to worry his teammates as well. When Logan threw pitches exceeding 140 km/h, his teammates reportedly cheered enthusiastically from the dugout. They expressed encouragement and support for Logan. It was a scene that showcased both concern and expectation for him. Before the appearance, Logan showed confidence, saying, "Since my teammates are seeing me pitch for the first time, I think it’s a great opportunity to show myself." Logan is set to replace the league-dominating foreign pitcher, Kyle Hart (San Diego Padres), who was the strikeout king last year. He was drafted in the 8th round of the 2015 amateur draft by the Boston Red Sox and has played for the San Diego Padres, Cleveland Guardians, Baltimore Orioles, and Arizona Diamondbacks.

Logan has a career record of 5 wins and 11 losses in 45 games (15 starts) over 5 seasons in Major League Baseball, with an earned run average of 5.79 over 124⅓ innings. In Triple-A, he recorded 25 wins and 15 losses with an earned run average of 5.85 over 408 innings in 120 games (69 starts). Last year in Arizona, he had a 0-1 record with a 5.46 earned run average over 28 innings in 12 games. This year in Triple-A, he has 6 wins and 3 losses with a 5.23 earned run average over 96⅓ innings in 20 games (19 starts). This is not a bad record in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. It is noted that he utilizes a total of 6 pitches. He reportedly throws a four-seam fastball, two-seam fastball, curveball, slider, cutter, and vulcan changeup (which sometimes registers as splitter on pitch analysis charts). He is confident that he can dominate Korean hitters based on these pitches. He stated, "My big league experience will be a good asset when facing KBO hitters. I also maintain composure on the mound. The loud cheering in the KBO should help me maintain that composure." He added, "I understand that Korean hitters have good strike zone awareness and many of them are contact hitters, but since I throw 6 different pitches, I believe I can mix enough variations to pitch 6 to 7 innings against them."

Having confirmed that Logan is adjusting his pace, Manager Lee Ho-jun likely felt relieved. Logan is set to start in an evaluation game against the Wei Chuan Dragons on March 4, completing his final assessment before entering Korea.

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