Rising Star in the KBO League

The LG Twins are looking towards a promising 2026 season with young pitcher Kim Young-woo (21), who is expected to continue his development as a key player. The question on many fans’ minds: could the Twins develop a native starting pitcher capable of consistently throwing a 160km/h fastball?

Early Career and Draft

Kim Young-woo was selected as the 10th overall pick in the first round of the 2025 KBO Rookie Draft after graduating from Seoul High School. He quickly garnered attention as a right-arm Fireball Prospect, even after undergoing elbow ligament joint surgery (Tommy John Surgery). Prior to surgery, he demonstrated his potential by throwing a fastball reaching 156 kilometers per hour.

Manager Yeom’s Confidence

LG manager Yeom Kyung-yeop recognized Kim Young-woo’s potential early on, bringing him directly to the first-tier spring camp and including him on the opening game roster. Manager Yeom explained his approach, stating

It takes time for a young pitcher to grow into a starter. We have to observe how baseball works as (Son) Joo-young builds up his first-team experience for one or two years in the bullpen together.

He further emphasized the importance of building confidence while developing pitches, believing it will build it much easier to adapt as a starter later.

Impressive 2025 Debut Season

Kim Young-woo’s first season was a resounding success. He consistently remained with the first team, recording 3 wins, 2 losses, 7 holds, 1 save, an ERA of 2.40, and 56 strikeouts in 60 innings across 66 regular-season games. His performance was crucial to the team’s success in the second half of the season.

Areas for Improvement and Future Goals

Despite his success, Kim Young-woo acknowledges areas for improvement. He is focused on developing continuity and addressing a decline in physical strength during the latter part of the season. He also recognizes the require to reduce walks, currently at 4.5 per nine innings.

Kim Young-woo is actively working on physical training and mobility exercises during the offseason to maintain his velocity throughout the season. The LG coaching staff is carefully managing his workload to prevent injuries.

Developing a Complete Pitching Arsenal

The coaching staff emphasizes the importance of staying healthy and gradually improving his skillset. Kim Young-woo is focused on refining his changeup and ball control to complement his already impressive fastball. He believes his splitter is showing promising movement.

He stated

My usual strengths are straight shots and ball speed. We find still many shortcomings. But in the training camp, the completion degree and movement value of the splitter have improved. I suppose this is for sure.

Long-Term Development Plan

The LG Twins are taking a patient approach to Kim Young-woo’s development, recognizing the time it takes to cultivate a reliable starting pitcher. They are prioritizing his health and gradual progression, mirroring the development of other successful pitchers like Lim Chang-yu, Son Ju-young, and Song Seung-ki.

Kim Young-woo’s primary goal is to not get sick and successfully complete training camp. He also aims to refine his changeup and other secondary pitches.