Gangneung Yeongdong University is the highest-level university.
In July, he tied for the title at the ’79th National University Baseball Championship’ held in Boeun.
The team is full of sluggers. It is full of dark horses ahead of the 2025 professional baseball rookie draft next month.
Gangneung Yeongdong University right fielder Park Chan-young, who became the batting king of the university baseball championship, is also a slugger.
This season’s report card is quite impressive. As of Tuesday, he has recorded four home runs, 16 RBIs and 16 runs scored in 20 games, making 22 hits (0.431), 51 at-bats for 81. He has 22 walks and six dunes, a whopping 0.633. He has an OPS of 1.398 with a slugging percentage of 0.765.
The figure is truly remarkable considering that it is a college baseball. Indeed, the figures show that it is equipped with sophistication, pioneering eyes, and long-range hitting power.
Scouts from professional teams in the Seoul metropolitan area are evaluated as “a mid- to long-distance outfielder with good pitching and contact ability.”
Due to the position of outfielder, there is a disadvantage in rookie draft. College players who are less selected than high school players are usually more likely to choose pitchers and infielders.
However, there are cases where college outfielders who were selected in the middle and lower pick of the draft hit hard and hit the jackpot in the professional league. The most representative player is Moon Sung-joo of the LG Twins. Born in Gangneung Yeongdong University, Park Chan-young’s senior in college, he wore the Twins uniform as 97th in the 10th round of the 2018 Rookie Draft. Moon, who has made a full-fledged stand since 2022, his fifth year as a member of the team, hit 132 hits last year, and stood out as a leading player in his team’s third win in 29 years.
Park Chan-young is also an outfielder with great potential to go the way of a college senior. He has a good posture to see the ball and is a spray heater that can spray the ball in an even direction.
A good performance this season is especially meaningful because it is a reward for patience. This is the result of his dedication to baseball without giving up, overcoming the frustrations and small injuries he felt while playing baseball.
Park Chan-young, who did not receive a professional nomination after graduating from high school, suffered from difficulties. He suffered from large and small injuries that came right after entering college.
“After entering college, I had a lot of injuries that I didn’t have in high school. I was very embarrassed, and I think that’s why I was late in coping. In 2022, I had surgery for a torn ligament in my ankle, and came back from rehab, but in 2023, the pain in my calf fatigue fracture was so severe that I took a year off, and after a lot of thought, I was paid.”
The reason why she was a year behind her peers. However, the ordeal was an opportunity. It solidified Park and led her to a new discovery.
“Repeated injuries have left me physically and mentally struggling. However, on the other hand, it has been a time to iron myself and look at myself objectively during that time. I was able to focus on my physical strength and weight gain that I lacked, and naturally, my batting felt better. After all, I think it was a time when I was able to focus on my own swing which was a little bit better during the period when I was very tired and exhausted. On the other hand, it was a time of relief and gratitude because it was not a precious and significant injury.”
He overcame an unbearable ordeal with a very positive mindset. He is a baseball player who has no peace due to inevitable injuries and frequent slumps, and is expected to make further progress in the future.
“I think I overcame the slump that comes from anyone with a mindset. Positive minds took control of my body, which gave me more strength. I created my own routine to change my mind. It’s about reading a lot during breaks, letting go of my thoughts every time I play at bat, doing my best on small things, thoroughly managing myself, and having a positive mindset that I can overcome difficulties and commitment to become a full-fledged player.” 스포츠토토
Not many college players look at themselves so thoroughly. This is a glimpse of not only their current skills but also their potential for continuous development in the future.
Park Chan-young’s positive mind is a great legacy from her parents.
“My parents give me intuition almost every game. Whenever I have a hard time physically and mentally, my family gives me a lot of strength and supports me. Perhaps that’s why the biggest strength of my personality is that I have a positive personality. It gave me the basis to cheer for my juniors and shout out loud ‘fighting’ in my team. As a habit, I say a lot, ‘I’m a very lucky biker.’ I think it has become a good habit to think that I will overcome bad conditions by myself and to change my mind once again. I want to continue to grow in both skills and personality so that I can become a baseball player who works hard that the word ‘lucky’ comes to mind when I think of Park Chan-young. I will live a wonderful life day by day, looking forward to a brighter tomorrow than today.”
Open your eyes wide. If you pass it carelessly, you may lose sight of the great slugger. The “Second Moon Sung-joo” is waiting for the rookie draft in September.
