We Are Going to Take the Golden Lion Cup

Who will win the Golden Lion championship this year?

The opening match between Segwang High School and Ansan Technical High School in the 9-day competition for the 61st Golden Lion cup will begin at 1:00 p.m. on June 26 at Dongdaemun Stadium.

Many people expected that high schools in Seoul, including Jangchung and Seoul high schools, would be strong in this year’s tournament, and they pointed to Gangneung High School, which won the semifinals of the Blue Dragon championship, and Busan and Cheonan Bukil high schools, which have good baseball reputations, as the dark horses of the championship.

Will there be the second Lee Hyeong-jong this year?

Lee Hyeong-jong from Seoul High School was the losing pitcher in the Presidential Cup final match in April with Gwangju Il High School, although he pitched hard. However, he has been appraised as one of the biggest prospects in high school baseball with his 147 km fastball and a sharp curve ball. He signed a contract with LG worth 430 million won in May.

Yoo Ji-hong, the chief of scouting for LG, estimated, “With ace pitcher Lee Hyeong-jong and Ahn Chi-hong who is known as a good infielder, the strategies of Seoul and Jangchung high schools, with Choi Won-je, a hard thrower on the mound, are sailent.” Lee Bok-geun, who is in charge of scouting for Doosan, said, “Whether Lee Hyeong-jong, who has recently been through rehab, participates in the tournament will decide Seoul High School’s fate.”

Powerful pitchers abound in this year’s tournament. Yoon Ki-ho from Cheonan Bukil and Ahn Tae-kyung from Busan both can throw faster than 140kmph.

Jeong Jin-sik, a scout for Lotte, explained that, “Ahn Tae-kyung is the one who defeated Kyungnam High, the champion of the Blue Dragon Cup tourney, twice in a preliminary match. Jeong’s specialty is a 149kmph fastball.”

Min Seong-gi and Roh Jin-young from Joongang High, Yoon Gi-ho from Cheonan Bukil, and Yoon Myeong-jun from Dongsung High are known to be pitchers with excellent control.

Major League Interest-

The Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) has recently been asked by U.S. major league scouts to identify nine of its top high school baseball players. Lee Dae-eun already signed a contract with the Chicago Cubs for $800,000 on June 4, and Choi Won-je, a pitcher for Jangchung High School, is about to join the Minnesota Twins. Minnesota is more interested in his long-ball prowess than his 140kmph straight ball pitching.

Are Seoul teams strong this year?-

Many scouts believe that schools located in Seoul will continue to be strong in this year’s Golden Lion cup tourney because Jangchung High won the Golden Lion championship last year, and the Mudeung Cup this year, while Seoul High School won second place in the presidential championship this year. Joongang High School went on to win the semifinals of the Presidential Cup.

Gangneung, winner of the semifinals of the Blue Dragon Cup this year, and Dongsung, winner of the semifinals of the Mudeung Cup, have been named the “dark horses” of this tournament. Scout Lee Bok-geun for Doosan said, “Though Seoul and Jangchung may be superior in strategy, Cheonan Bukil and Dongsung will be a tough challenge in this championship.”

Im Ju-taek, a scout for Hanhwa, said, “High school baseball matches depend on players’ conditions. If Yoon Gi-ho and Goh Won-jun from Cheonan Bukil pitch well, unexpected results can happen.”