“Am I the best? I've never heard such a thing…”

Professional baseball Hanwha Eagles right-handed pitcher KODI Ponce (31) is already being evaluated as a ‘legendary’ foreign player, even though it's still early in the season. His surface statistics appear ordinary with a record of 2 wins and a 3.60 ERA over 4 games, but he boasts a solid performance with 31 strikeouts in 25 innings.

The overall completeness of his breaking pitches is high, featuring a fastball, a changeup that drops like a forkball with an average speed of 140 km/h, a curve that disrupts timing, and sliders and cutters that break away from right-handed batters. With both his fastballs and breaking pitches being stable, he could become the best foreign pitcher if he fully adapts to the league.

Opposing teams have recognized Ponce's skills. ‘Pitching trainer’ KT director Lee Kang-cheol praised him, saying, “The pitch looks the best. The form is also beautiful,” while KIA director Lee Beom-ho said, “He’s incredible. He might be the best among the players that have come to Korea. He throws breaking balls very well. His changeup almost perfectly drops to the bottom of the strike zone.”

However, Ponce was unaware of such evaluations. He chuckled, saying, “I've never heard anyone say I'm the best, but if it's true, I'll believe it,” and added, “I'm just satisfied that our team is on the rise. I think our entire pitching staff is really good. The starters and the bullpen are excellent,” emphasizing his team over himself.

The changeup, which caught the attention of team members since spring camp, has an impressive drop like a forkball while being thrown at an average speed of 140 km/h. It’s a pitch that is currently trending in Major League Baseball as a ‘kick changeup’ and Ponce taught himself. He said, “I changed how I throw the changeup this year. I can’t quite remember the source, but I learned it by watching some videos,” adding, “I'm still thirty years old. While some might think that’s old, I consider myself still young, and I strive to keep refining any inadequate pitches.”

Young pitcher Moon Dong-joo, who is on the same team, is also learning from Ponce's approach to studying. Moon commented, “Ponce is really a smart player. He shares a lot about techniques in pitching, and I'm learning a lot. I expect to learn even more in the future.”

Ponce also generated buzz during the opening game of the new stadium against KIA on the 28th of last month, by calling the slumping players to the dugout for a meeting. He remarked, “It was a thought that suddenly popped into my head that day. There are times when meetings are necessary depending on the situation. I wanted to encourage the players who help me,” and said, “Hitting has its ups and downs, and that’s baseball. I’m just grateful for the opportunity to start every 5 to 6 days.”

Settling into life in Korea for two months has also been satisfying. Living in an apartment provided by the team near the Daejeon home stadium with his wife, Ponce said, “It's really nice that the apartment is close to the baseball field. There are people recognizing us when I take my dog for a walk, and they are really kind. It's a blessing to be in such a good city with wonderful fans. So far, I have no complaints.”

When asked about his goals in Korea, Ponce responded, “To maintain my health and complete the season,” but then unexpectedly mentioned Ryu Hyun-jin. He said, “I think I might need Ryu Hyun-jin's autograph while I'm here. I keep asking him for an autograph every day, but he sometimes seems a bit stingy. My goal is to get a lot of his autographs,” while laughing.

Then, would Ryu Hyun-jin not ask Ponce for an autograph? Ponce stated, “I don't think Ryu Hyun-jin would need my autograph. I don't need to sign for him. I need Ryu Hyun-jin's autograph,” revealing his firm desire to collect autographs. However, if Ponce genuinely becomes the best foreign pitcher in the KBO league, it might not be surprising if Ryu Hyun-jin asks him for an autograph.

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