Jung-soo Shim, 48, nicknamed “Hercules” during his playing days, is a slugger with 328 home runs in 15 seasons in the KBO.
His second son, Jong-hyun Shim (Kevin Shim in the U.S.), born in 2002, is the latest in a long line of Korean sluggers to be recognized for their power.
MLB.com, the official website of Major League Baseball in the United States, published an article titled “Son of Hercules Shows Strength at Draft Combine” on March 23 (KST) and reported on the performance of Jong-hyun Shim, who plays for San Diego State University.
The MLB Draft Combine, held at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona, is a “showcase” for prospects who are eligible for the MLB Draft the following year.
According to MLB.com, Shim ranked first overall in live scoring on the first day of the combine with an average bat speed of 101.5 miles per hour (about 163 kilometers per hour).
He also ranked first with 15 hard hits (batted balls over 95 miles per hour), 16 sweet spots (balls hit in the center of the bat) and four balls over 400 feet (about 122 meters) in distance, it added.
Jong-hyun Shim, who is attending San Diego State University, is a long-hitting prospect who inherited his father’s power from him.
In two seasons in the collegiate baseball league, Shim batted .295 with 25 home runs and 97 RBIs.
“My dad was with me through everything from childhood to high school to college,” Shim told MLB.com, “and I was able to learn from him and play with him. I’m lucky to have inherited his talent.”
During his playing days, Shim was close to foreign players.
As an “academic” player who attended an English language school in hopes of making it to the major leagues, he had no problem communicating.
MLB.com quoted him as saying, “In the 1990s, I would wake up at 3 a.m. to watch MLB live, and I loved Ken Griffey Jr. and Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds.”
Although Shim retired from the KBO in 2008, and his big league dreams were never realized, he moved to the United States with his family in 2009 and has been living the life of a “baseball dad” for his sons ever since. 토토사이트
Shim’s first son, Shim Jong-won, participated in the KBO rookie tryouts in 2020 and played briefly for the Yeoncheon Miracle in the independent league after not being drafted.
Jong-hyun Shim, who has been considered a top prospect in the United States since his high school days, continued to excel at San Diego State University and is expected to be a top pick in this year’s MLB Draft.
“I love the environment of playing baseball in the United States. My son has learned a lot as a person, both on and off the field. It will help him grow as a baseball player,” she said, cheering on her ‘future big leaguer’ son.