South Korean Prospect Won-Bin Cho Signs with Cardinals

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haltz
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Re: South Korean Prospect Won-Bin Cho Signs with Cardinals

Post by haltz »

Big Amoco Sign wrote:
January 19 22, 10:26 pm
haltz wrote:
January 19 22, 9:44 pm
Now this is my kind of content
Look at how much english is on that ball as it drops over the fence in CF.

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Re: South Korean Prospect Won-Bin Cho Signs with Cardinals

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Teenager blasting homers over 400 that often in BP. I’m sure it’s a little common but can’t be that common where they don’t become good MLBers. He looks like he’s going to cruise the minors.

He kind of has a little Yelich in him to me.

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Re: South Korean Prospect Won-Bin Cho Signs with Cardinals

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haltz wrote:
January 20 22, 2:18 pm
Big Amoco Sign wrote:
January 19 22, 10:26 pm
haltz wrote:
January 19 22, 9:44 pm
Now this is my kind of content
Look at how much english is on that ball as it drops over the fence in CF.
Pretty sure that hit a net….but that thing hit 20+ feet over the wall in dead center.

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Re: South Korean Prospect Won-Bin Cho Signs with Cardinals

Post by AWvsCBsteeeerike3 »

Been meaning to touch on mechanics but got a little preoccupied.

@haltz Another leftie with a big lunge forward onto a stiff front leg was Musial. A bit unorthodox by todays standards, it still fits the mold of what you're talking about.

There's a lot of thoughts on a lot of different things, but whatever those thoughts are, they almost all agree on getting to the ball in a certain position with a bat path at a certain angle through a 'slot' at a high speed. And just from what little I've seen, it seems that Cho checks all those boxes and has the fluidity that makes it beautiful.

Rather power comes from the right leg/right hip/right torso pushing or the left hip/torso/scap pulling, or whatever is above my pay grade. For Cho it certainly seems to be the later, in the same mold of Griffey like you note.

The concern, especially for younger players with regards to leg kicks and 'big' steps is the timing is more difficult. More moving parts getting to the exact right spot at the exact right time is more difficult than getting less moving parts to the exact right spot at the exact right time. So, more/less what is being taught to kids from what I've seen and what we teach is load back, small step (6" up, 6" forward), foot down, hips rotate, hands in slot, explode. More/less.

Going back to timing, it's tough for the swing to start consistently with the front foot up in the air. The longer it takes for the front foot to get down, the later the swing starts. Or the earlier it has to start. So there's that obvious trade off. Smaller step, less power, more consistent. Bigger kick, more power, less consistent. Though, the truly elite can get to the best of both worlds. I doubt he'll be able to maintain the home run derby swing and make it work in the majors or even minors, but who knows. All this is above my pay grade, and I look forward to watching it unfold.

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Re: South Korean Prospect Won-Bin Cho Signs with Cardinals

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Aren’t there lots of guys with long swings but bat speed makes up for it?

Tatis Jr. and Machado and Ozuna are who come to mind. Tatis even adjusted his swing with a bad shoulder, and still can crush. So a lot of coaching can be done for an 18 year old still.

If we want to talk lefties I am looking at Carlos Gonzalez. And Christian Yelich though Yelich does change depending on pitch and situation more. I'm sure Cho will adjust from now until MLB debut.

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Re: South Korean Prospect Won-Bin Cho Signs with Cardinals

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Musial is a really clear example, thanks.

Image

Here's a more modern version with Harper.

Image

Cargo loaded/coiled on his back hip with a leg kick as well, but then he stays there a little more. This might look the most like Cho, which is about as flattering as you can get.

Image

Then you've got Bonds and Edmonds who start with the hip and if they were throwing a punch it would be more like a jab or a hook.

ImageImage

But they all generate power from the core/hips. Now you hear about separation. I think Josh Donaldson is big on this, another big leg kick guy. You sort of coil and wind everything up and your hands don't have a choice once you commit. He says he doesn't think about his hands at all.

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Re: South Korean Prospect Won-Bin Cho Signs with Cardinals

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Aren’t there lots of guys with long swings but bat speed makes up for it?
When I think about long swings, sometimes it's hard to look at the path to the ball versus the long finish. So on this first clip you have a one-handed sweeping finish but the bat gets to the ball pretty quick. Ozuna was a decent example of that I think as well.

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Re: South Korean Prospect Won-Bin Cho Signs with Cardinals

Post by phins »

I've tried to consume everything I can on the kid and it's difficult to really get a read on him. It "looks" like he's going to really struggle if pitchers locate inside (especially up-and-in), but it also looks like he will hit mistakes hard.

From a data standpoint, his exit velocities are upper-tier prospects. I've read that the Cardinals rated him on par with second-round talents, so that's a pretty good gauge of what type of talent we are looking at from an initial setting.

Frame is excellent and- in general- not the typical frame you see from a Korean prospect. You wonder what sort of projection is left here. Think of Miguel Nunez and how he used his physicality to be an Uber God in the low minors, but looks mortal in higher levels against more physically equivalent peers.

Most certainly will end up in RF, so I wouldn't really count on CF at all. He's a decent athlete, but nothing special. Already hear concerns over his routes in CF, but they'll try him there. Arm can play in RF, but is more average than anything else for that spot.

Bat is the carrying tool, but you have to see the approach, ability to get to velocity, and way he makes adjustments. I've read that he is a kid who wants to be good and is willing to take failures and learn from them. Already wants to learn English, decided against the KBO draft, got an exemption on military service. Lots of boxes checked here.

If you look at it as a bat-first corner OF'er with excellent data and a good work ethic, you can sort of see it as an extra comp-round pick joining the system for a discount.

I'm pleased.

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