“Is there a pitcher in the league who throws better than Na Kyun-an?”

‘Legend’ Yoon Seok-min, the 2011 MVP and one of the few players to achieve the triple crown, praised Na Kyun-an (25‧ Lotte) for his control right after his second appearance of the season on April 9th. did not spare Commissioner Yun emphasized, “If the body is thrown well, batters have no choice but to pull the timing forward to hit it. In such a situation, you cannot hit a forkball.

Na Kyun-an is,안전놀이터 in fact, an ordinary player in terms of speed. According to the tally of ‘Trackman’, which provides tracking data to 9 KBO league clubs, the average velocity of Na Kyun-an’s four-seam fastball this season is 143.1 km. Although he has good vertical movement, he is not at the level of overpowering hitters with his speed. However, he turns hitters around with precise control that is measured with a ruler. He has an excellent ability to throw the ball where he wants.

Na Kyun-an, who has a short arm swing, probably influenced by his background as a catcher, uses the zone extensively. He will throw strikes and he is confident. As he mixes various pitches in various courses, the velocity of his fastball cannot help but become faster. What is surprising is that Na Kyun-an is in his third year as a pitcher this year. The fact that he has such amazing control and completeness of pitches in three years suggests a lot of hard work and an innate sense.

Now, Kyun-an Na has become a ‘target of vigilance’ to hitters. One team hitter said, “Until the first season, there was a feeling that the fielder was throwing the ball. In fact, I did not feel that powerful. However, from last year, I felt that the ball was getting better and the timing was getting more difficult.” All batters have the perception that they have good pitches, so the way they deal with them is bound to change. Isn’t that an advantage that good pitchers have?”

An official from another club also raised his thumb, saying, “I think he is a right-handed pitcher with the best control since Yoon Seong-hwan (former Samsung).” In fact, Yoon Seong-hwan and Na Kyun-an have similarities in their game styles and records. The ball is not fast, but it has sophisticated control, and it is good at the body game regardless of left and right batters, and has certain decisive balls that can be thrown at any time. Yoon Seong-hwan is not yet in his prime, but considering Na Kyun-ahn’s age, there is no law that he cannot reach that point.

Neither Yoon Seong-hwan nor Na Kyun-an are players with high miss-and-swing strike rates. The swing miss rate at the level seen in the records of fastball pitchers has not been matched in either player’s career. However, while showing good control overall, hitters have a high looking strikeout rate and have a good command, so hitters do not easily hit the bat. At that time, balls accompanied by good control will dig into the border line.

On top of that, he has the ability to catch strikes with a breaking ball, and throws a splitter, curveball, and changeup, so it’s difficult for opponents to aim for all pitches and courses. As a former catcher, he is good at thinking about basic ball combinations and is evaluated as good at number fights. In the era of the restraint revolution that is blowing hard even in the KBO, Na Kyun-an’s control and command can shine as a part that suggests many things.