Like the 2022 season! Or even the luggage minor is on the verge of being kicked out, Ko Woo-seok, has one last chance. Including MLB Spring Camp Invited Players

Jan 28, 2025

Ko Woo-seok is throwing the ball vigorously at the San Diego Padres' spring camp site in Peoria, Arizona, USA on the 21st (Korea Standard Time). Peoria (Arizona, USA) = Reporter's wook@sportschosun.com/2024.02.21/

The opportunity to restore honor has come. It must show again the iron wall finish that dominated the KBO League in the 2022 season. Ko Woo-seok (27, Miami Marlins), who was virtually judged C-level even in the minor leagues, is the only way to survive. If this doesn't work, we have no choice but to return home.

The Miami club announced the list of non-Roster Invites for the 2025 MLB Spring Camp on the 28th (Korea time). Ko Woo-seok is listed here. This is the last chance Miami allowed Ko Woo-seok. This means that they will test the performance of off-season training and the possibility of using it this season.

Ko Woo-suk was listed on the Miami Marlins 2025 spring camp guest list. Miami Marlins homepage capture

As a result, Ko will participate in the Miami Spring Camp, which will begin on February 13 at Roger Dean Park in Jupiter, Florida. Pitchers and catchers will start training first on the 13th, and fielders will join on the 18th. Spring camp and exhibition games will be held for about a month, and Ko Woo-seok's entry into the big league will be decided accordingly.

In order for Ko Woo-seok to survive on the U.S. stage, he needs to recreate the powerful stub of the past through exhibition games. The power of the time when he topped 40 saves (42 saves) in the league as a member of the KBO League LG Twins for the first time in a season is sufficient. However, if he fails to enter the big league again this time, it can be said that the big league challenge is actually over.

Ko Woo-seok applied for Major League posting after the 2023 season and succeeded in signing with the San Diego Padres in January last year. It signed a two-year contract totaling $4.5 million. Up until this point, it seemed as if 'Flower Road' was opening.

Go Woo-seok talks while warming up at the San Diego Padres' spring camp site in Peoria, Arizona, USA on the 21st (Korea Standard Time). Peoria (Arizona, USA) = Reporter's wook@sportschosun.com/2024.02.21/

But the reality of the big league was cold. Ko Woo-seok's ball power was also significantly lower than in 2022, the career high season. In the end, he failed to enter the big leagues at the opening point and began his U.S. career in the minor leagues. Then, he was traded to Miami on May 3 last year. San Diego sent four players to recruit Luis Aras, including Ko Woo-seok.

Miami immediately assigned Ko Woo-suk to Triple-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. However, on May 30th, it was removed from the 40-person roster and imposed a discharge waiting measure. Ko Woo-seok chose to stay in the minor league without receiving a call from any club. Miami then sent Ko to the Double-A Penser Cola Blue Wahoos in July. A way of actually urging release. But Ko remained until the end of the season.

Ko Woo-suk, who appeared in 16 games in Triple-A, had a 4.29 ERA with 2 wins and 1 hold, but in Double-A, he appeared in 28 games with 2-3 losses, 3 saves with a 8.04 ERA. Neither Triple-A nor Double-A were impressive. Strictly speaking, it is impossible to enter the big league below average.

A game between the San Diego Padres and the LG Twins at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on the 18th. San Diego's Ko Woo-suk is regretful after allowing a two-run shot to LG Lee Jae-won with one out and a runner on the first base in the bottom of the ninth inning. Gocheok = Reporter Jung Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2024.3.18/

This is the last year of his Major League Baseball contract. And spring camp is the last chance. Miami will have to pay Ko Woo-seok $2.25 million (about 3.25 billion won) in annual salary this year. Inviting the spring camp has two meanings. There is also an intention to give Ko Woo-seok one last chance, but it is also an intention to measure the 'hand angle'.

If Ko Woo-seok still shows disappointing skills during the spring camp, he will be stuck in the minor league right away. It is difficult for Miami to call up because it has the right to reject the minor league. It is impossible to open the big league door unless the minor league exerts extreme closing power on a one-point ERA like it did in the 2022 season.

This article was translated by Naver AI translator.