It may be an at-bat in an exhibition game that does not mean much to anyone, but it was a special day for Jo Won-bin (20‧ St. Louis). He made a surprise appearance in a major league exhibition game and proved the team’s expectations.
On the 12th (Korean time), Cho Won-bin made a surprise appearance in an exhibition game against Houston at The Ballpark of the Palm Beach, Florida, USA. Cho Won-bin, who attracted attention by being put on the waiting list before the game, was put in as center fielder in the 5th inning and played the rest of the defensive innings as well as one at-bat.
In the 7th inning, in the first opportunity to bat, he unfortunately stayed with the second baseman’s floating ball. However, it was a historic day for Cho Won-bin. It is a great honor for a player who has just taken off his rookie level to be able to watch major leaguers from the side and actually participate in their games.
St. Louis does not want to use Cho Won-bin in the major leagues right away. It is often the case that Double-A or Triple-A players come up to major league demonstration games and test their skills in front of the coaching staff. However, it is clear that Cho Won-bin joined the demonstration game somewhat early in that he played in the rookie league last year and is expected to be promoted to Single A this year.
Cho Won-bin played 26 games for the rookie league team under St. Louis last year and recorded a batting average of 0.211, 1 home run, 20 RBIs, 6 stolen bases, and an OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.716. Although his batting average was low, it is evaluated that he had an overall decent debut season, recording an on-base percentage of 0.400. St. Louis is also strategically nurturing Cho Won-bin as he is evaluated as having various tools such as power since high school. He is likely to be promoted to Single-A this year.메이저사이트
The official website of Major League Baseball also ranked Cho Won-bin as the 22nd best prospect in St. Louis. This is slightly up from last year’s top 20. Scouts are noticing Jo Won-bin for her strength and hitting ability, and are also giving high marks to her shoulder and other talents. On top of that, his defensive ability to play even as a center fielder, and his ability to fly the ball all over the field are also receiving favorable reviews.
MLB.com predicts Cho Won-bin’s debut in the major leagues around 2026. Expectations are high that the surprise appearance in the demonstration game on the 12th will be a symbolic scene to announce Cho Won-bin’s full-scale start.