Who is Hyun-suk Jang? Dodgers reportedly set to sign premier pitching prospect from South Korea

Sometimes in baseball, it's a case of the rich getting richer. The Los Angeles Dodgers are reportedly set to land pitching prospect Hyun-suk Jang. The 19-year-old out of Masan Yongma High School in Changwon, South Korea, announced that he would forego the KBO (Korean Baseball Organization) in favor of pursuing his MLB career.

"According to several industry sources, #Dodgers are on the verge of signing highly touted pitching prospect Hyun-suk Jang. Jang recently announced that he is NOT entering #KBO draft this year and that he intends to sign w/ #MLB org." - @DanielKimW

According to KBO insider Daniel Kim, Hyun-suk Jang's MLB career may begin with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Kim stated online that several experts believe that the Dodgers are nearing an agreement with the lauded high school pitcher. This announcement may happen sooner rather than later as prospects need to declare themselves for the KBO Draft by August 15.

At 6'3" and with a fastball that can hit upwards of 97 mph, Jang can not only throw gas but also reportedly has a plethora of secondary pitches, which include a slider, sweeper, curveball, and changeup.

"Per @DanielKimW, the #Dodgers are “on the verge” of signing top Korean RHP prospect Hyun-Suk Jang. At just 19 years old, Jang already rides his fastball into the upper 90s to go along with a slider, a sweeper, a curveball and a changeup. This is a huge get" - @Bnicklaus7

If Jang decides not to commit to MLB, it is widely expected that he will be selected with the first overall pick in the KBO Draft. However, according to Kim, this does not appear to be the desired plan for the pitching phenom.

Prior to the MLB Trade Deadline, the Dodgers moved pitching prospects Aldrin Batista and Maximo Martinez to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for additional international bonus pool money. This was likely made to secure financial support to land Jang.

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Hyun-suk Jang set to follow in the footsteps of other Korean talents that landed with the club

The Los Angeles Dodgers have had a rich history when it comes to signing South Korean stars, with the most notable being Chan-ho Park in 1994. He became the first Korean-born player to sign with an MLB team.

"Chan Ho Park and @danieldaekim in the house for Korea Night at Dodger Stadium!" - @Dodgers

Aside from Park, former All-Star Hyun-Jin Ryu also signed with the Dodgers when he made his jump to North America. Hee-Seop Choi and Jae-Wong Seo are the two other Korean-born players to sign with the club.