A Korean pitcher, Jang Hyun-suk (21), belonging to the Low Single-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes under the Los Angeles Dodgers, issued six walks in just one inning during his second appearance of the season. He left a feeling of regret after self-destructing with three consecutive walks.

On the 10th (Korean time), Jang Hyun-suk started in an away game against the Low Single-A Stockton Ports, affiliated with the Athletics, at Banner Island Ballpark in Stockton, California, recording 2⅓ innings, 1 hit, 4 walks, 3 strikeouts, and 4 earned runs.

In his season debut on the 5th against the Lake Elsinore Storm (affiliated with the San Diego Padres), he pitched well with 4 innings, 2 hits, 4 walks, 4 strikeouts, and 1 earned run, but he couldn't last through the 3rd inning. After the team lost 6-3, Jang Hyun-suk, who took his first loss of the season, saw his earned run average rise from 2.25 to 7.11.

The first inning started off well with a three-up, three-down. Jang struck out Ali Camarillo with a fly out to right field, Jared Sprague-Lott with a fly out to left field, and finally Cameron Leary with a swinging strikeout after a full count.

In the second inning, he struck out Pedro Pineda and Miles Naylor consecutively, gaining momentum. Although he allowed a 2-base hit to German Ortiz, he induced Cesar Franco to hit a pop out to third, ending the inning.

However, he suddenly faltered in the third inning due to control issues. The second pitch to lead-off batter Carlos Franco hit him, causing him to lose composure. Jang Hyun-suk threw consecutive balls to the next batter, D.J. Pitaro, but managed to get strikes on the 4th and 5th pitches; however, the 6th pitch went outside the zone, resulting in a walk.

With no outs and runners on first and second, he managed to get Camarillo to fly out to right field, but allowed a straight walk to Sprague-Lott. With the bases loaded and one out, Jang Hyun-suk issued a walk to Leary after a full count, allowing the first run to score. With the bases still loaded and one out, he hit Pineda with the first pitch, leading to consecutive runs on walks. To make matters worse, he issued another walk to Naylor after a full count, resulting in three consecutive runs.

Jang Hyun-suk, who self-destructed with 4 walks and 2 hit batsmen for a total of 6 walks in one inning, eventually handed the mound over to Logan Teibert and was removed from the game. Teibert also gave Franco a walking run, making Jang Hyun-suk's earned runs rise to 4.

Although the game was disappointing, Jang Hyun-suk is a top-notch right-handed fireballer being developed by the Dodgers. He made headlines as a monster pitcher during his second year at Masan Yongma High School, throwing at a maximum speed of 156 km/h, and received major league attention after throwing 158 km/h in his senior year. Choosing to forgo the KBO rookie draft, Jang Hyun-suk signed a contract with the Dodgers for $900,000 in August 2023.

Last year, while with the ACL Dodgers, he played 13 games (10 starts, 24⅓ innings), recording 1 win, 2 losses, an earned run average of 8.14, and 49 strikeouts. Despite his struggles with control and an earned run average above 8, he showcased a strong arm with an average of 18.1 strikeouts per 9 innings and started as the opening pitcher in the rookie league finals, leading his team to victory with 3 innings, 1 walk, 8 strikeouts, and no hits.

Riding the momentum, Jang Hyun-suk was promoted to the Low Single-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes in August, where he continued his explosive growth with 5 games (5 starts, 12⅓ innings), 1 loss, an earned run average of 2.19, and 19 strikeouts. In the MLB Pipeline prospect rankings released last month, Jang Hyun-suk ranked 17th in the Dodgers organization. Despite being in a farm system filled with prospects, Jang Hyun-suk has considerably risen in standings during his first season in the minor leagues.

The MLB Pipeline noted, "Jang Hyun-suk's fastball ranges from 94 to 96 miles per hour (151.3 to 154.5 km/h) and can reach up to 99 miles per hour (159.3 km/h). With a sturdy build at 6 feet 4 inches (193 cm), he has the potential for even faster velocity. His slider, in the mid-80s, is a solid secondary pitch, and he improved his curveball in the high 70s last summer. His changeup in the upper 80s is also surprisingly effective against hitters. However, he issued 27 walks in 36⅔ innings last year due to issues with power and head movement during pitching. The Dodgers believe this issue relates more to targeting than technicality, and with his athletic ability, improvement is possible. If he refines his command and control, he has the potential to be a second-starter caliber pitcher."

The Korean national baseball team, planning to assemble its elite roster for the next World Baseball Classic (WBC), is also keeping an eye on Jang Hyun-suk. Although he is still in the development stage in Single-A, he has shown remarkable growth, and the KBO Strengthening Committee is consistently monitoring him. Jang Hyun-suk was selected as the only amateur player for the Korean baseball team during the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, where he won a gold medal.

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