Expectations and concerns about Wizdom stepping on Korean soil with 88 ML home runs and the worst strikeout rate ever 36.7%
Dec 16, 2024
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Although he boasts one of the best foreign hitters in the KBO League, he appears to have not only had ups and downs while playing in the Major League, but also had a poor pioneer.
Wisdom, born in August 1991, began his minor league career in June 2012 with the 52nd overall pick in the first round of the draft by the st. Louis Cardinals. He made his major league debut in August 2018, six years later.
In other words, he spent more than six seasons in the minor leagues, but his debut was late for a prospect who was nominated in the first round. However, the growth rate was slow in the big leagues as well. Wisdom, who moved to the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners after St. Louis, was only able to spend his first big league season close to full-time at the Chicago Cubs in 2021.
He showed growth potential by batting .231 with 28 home runs, 61 RBIs and an OPS of 0.823, in 106 games that year, but slowed down to .207 (97 hits in 469 at-bats), 25 home runs, 55 RBIs, and an OPS of 0.725 in 134 games in 2022, then fell further to 0.171 (27 hits in 158 at-bats) in 2023 and 75 games this year. It should be said that the shortcomings were clear in that it went up and down the minor leagues every year.
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If there were many weaknesses in the ability to distinguish between ball and strike and contact ability, it may be more difficult to adapt in the new league, especially in the KBO league, where there are many breaking balls and manned balls.
This is why hitters who made a name for themselves in the Major League and entered the KBO were particularly likely to fail. Nine hitters have hit more than 100 home runs in the Major League and stepped on the ground in Korea. All of them couldn't run for a long time in the KBO League and packed their bags.
NC Dinos Matt Davidson, who won the KBO League home run king this year, previously hit 54 home runs in six years in the major leagues, including the Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, and Oakland Athletics, with a strikeout rate of 34.3%.
He won the title in this category with 46 home runs in NC this season. This is because he struck out 142 times in 567 at-bats, lowering his strikeout rate to 25.0%.
In an article that delivered the news of Wisdom's trip to Korea, MLBTR said 'Wisdom will be checked for its ability in the KBO League, which is rumored to have no power heater at all. Matt Davidson, who won the KBO League's home run king with 46 home runs this year, showed strong power and high strikeout rates during his big league days, and a similar style of Wisdom is within the realm of the possibility of leading the Tigers' offense next year.
Wisdom also depends on how much it reduces the strikeout rate.
jhno@sportschosun.com
