Pittsburgh Pirates set to land top prospect Jun-seok Shim
By David Hill
The Pittsburgh Pirates may be set to add one of the top international prospects to their organization.
According to Daniel Kim, the Pirates are set to sign Jun-seok Shim, an 18 year old right handed pitcher from South Korea.
Jun-seok Shim immediately one of Pittsburgh Pirates top prospects
Shim had already made waves with his decision to forgo the Korean Baseball Organization draft in favor of an opportunity stateside. He had been favored to be the top overall selection, but could easily land a much better deal with the Pirates than he would in the KBO. Add in the fact that he had retained Scott Boras as his agent, and it is clear that he was eyeing this trek to a major league team.
One can understand why the Pirates would be ecstatic to land the South Korean prospect. Shim has a plus fastball that sits in the upper 90s and has already reached 100 MPH. His curve is also a plus offering and is a true 12-6 breaker. He also has a slider and a changeup, both of which are currently rated as average offerings with the potential to improve. Shim has already been compared to Chan Ho Park but has the potential to be much more.
It is entirely possible that Park comparison is the floor for Shim. He could easily add more velocity once he comes stateside and gets better coaching. If his slider and changeup continue to develop, he could have four plus pitches in his arsenal. Add in his impressive mechanics and already lauded delivery and Shim could be a star in the making.
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The Pittsburgh Pirates may have landed their next ace. Top international pitching prospect Jun-seok Shim is reportedly set to sign in Pittsburgh.