South Korea’s U-23 national baseball team heads to Nicaragua ahead of the 6th U-23 Baseball World Cup, seeking its first-ever tournament title after capturing a silver medal in 2022. The roster features Hanwha Eagles power-arm Won Dong-hyuk—capable of touching 158 km/h—and university catcher Kim Dong-joo, selected by the LG Twins in this year’s draft.
Roster Construction and Pitching Depth
Manager Lee Yeon-soo returns to helm the U-23 side. The pitching staff features elite velocity profiles, anchored by 21-year-old Hanwha right-hander Won Dong-hyuk. Won logged 17 innings across 17 appearances in the KBO first tier this season, registering a 1-0 record and a 4.76 ERA. He is joined by 190-centimeter righty Choi Woo-seok of the NC Dinos, who posted a 1.50 ERA across 12 innings in 13 senior appearances.
The bullpen also incorporates LG left-hander Park Jung-sun (19). Initially named to the reserve list, Park earned a promotion following an injury to Samsung arm Ham Su-ho.
Offensive Firepower and Collegiate Additions
Position player selections emphasize both minor league production and collegiate readiness. Outfielder Park Hang-gyul (22) anchors the lineup after slashing .275 with 20 home runs and 69 RBIs across 92 Futures League games. The infield and outfield depth charts gain further reinforcement from infielder Oh Jong-seo (20) and Hanwha outfielder Yoo Min (23).
Kim guided Yonsei to U-League group stage and "King of Kings" tournament victories, establishing himself as a premier collegiate backstop.
Tournament Group B Landscape
| Opponent | Date (Local) |
|---|---|
| Cuba | 6th |
| Japan | 7th |
| Venezuela | 8th |
| Great Britain | 9th |
| South Africa | 10th |
South Korea opens its Group B campaign against Cuba on the 6th, followed by fixtures against Japan, Venezuela, Great Britain, and South Africa across five consecutive days. Manager Lee prioritized an early arrival in Managua to combat travel fatigue and jet lag.
“Since the tournament takes place in a distant location, our goal is to give the team adequate time to adapt to the time zone and local conditions before the opening match,” Lee stated.
The squad’s preparation includes a local exhibition against Nicaragua on the 3rd ahead of the official opening ceremonies and managerial meetings on the 5th. South Korea finished third in 2016, fourth in 2018, eighth in 2021, and fifth at the 2024 tournament in Xiaoshing, China.
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