After wrapping up the first camp in Florida and setting up a second camp in Chiayi, Taiwan, SSG measured the players’ “speed” during the camp. They set up a measuring device between first and second base and checked the speed of reaching from first to second base. There was laughter throughout the training, but when it came time to play, everyone was gritting their teeth as these measurements would be the foundation of their in-season operations.
As many expected, Choi Ji-hoon Ahn Sang-hyun, the team’s best quasi-champion, came out on top within the margin of error. But Cho Dong-hwa, the SSG operations and infield coach, was talking about a different player. He brought up the name of Jung Jun-jae (21), an infielder from Dongguk University who was drafted in the fifth round of the 2024 rookie draft. Cho, who was one of the top-rated first basemen in the game, uncharacteristically praised Jung’s baserunning.
I was naturally fast on my feet. The next thing was sense. He had the ability to read the pitcher’s timing well. And there was no fumbling in his starting movements. Coach Cho said, “Currently, Choi Ji-hoon Ahn Sang-hyun is the top player in the first team, but Jeong Jun-jae’s baserunning is also noteworthy. He has fast feet and the same sense as Oh Tae-gon. He can’t play in the first team right now because he’s a developmental player, but he’s a resource to watch in the future.”
Chung Jun-jae was one of the toughest players in the Taiwan SSG Future Team (second team) camp. The Future Team has a mutual agreement with the Taiwanese professional club that allows them to use unlimited pinch-hitters and substitutes, but not to remove starters from the game. Because of this, Jung Jun-jae would come off the bench whenever there was a runner on base, and when he saw the timing, he would play unconditionally. It was an instruction from the coaching staff. The first team is currently short of pinch runners, which means they want to keep him on the bench until June.
Jung Jun-jae knows what that means. “When I went to the first team, it was definitely different from the second team here. I think it’s a great motivation to go to the first team once. I felt like I had to work harder,” he said. “It’s hard, but I think there are still some things I need to work on. It’s hard, but I think there are things I need to work on. I came to this camp with the intention of learning a lot. I think I need to work on my base running a little bit more, but I’m still not good enough, so I need to be more sure of it.”
You can learn a lot in life, but you can also learn a lot in death. The level of professional teams in Taiwan is also quite high. “When I was an amateur, I had a little confidence that I could start late and still have a run, but now I realize that the start is very important. I’m focusing on the start. I’m confident in my running,” he emphasized. Jung Jun-jae’s professional plan is to earn a spot on the first team by showing his strengths and then move on to become a complete player.
At the Future Team camp, Jeong focused on improving his start when stealing bases and making quicker batting decisions in defense. SSG Future Team manager Son Si-heon praised him, saying, “As a pinch-hitter, you have to prepare for every inning, so it’s physically 토토사이트 demanding and you have to be always on your toes.” He added, “Jung has good range and throwing accuracy as a second baseman. I think he is the second most entertaining player in this camp after Park Ji-hwan,” he said.
In fact, he doesn’t have the best physical condition. Jung Jun-jae knows this, which is why he emphasizes that he has to work harder and play harder. “I think my priority is to be good to the fans. It’s good to be good at baseball, but I want to leave an image of sincerity,” he says. “I’m the kind of player who needs to get my uniform dirty so I can think, ‘Oh, I played baseball today. That’s what makes it fun. If it’s not dirty, I feel like I didn’t do anything today,” he said.
An SSG Future Team official, who heard this next to him, encouraged him, saying, “You can order uniforms and they’ll give them to you right away.” “My priority is to not get injured for a year, and my goal is to improve my body as quickly as possible so I can get to the first team as soon as possible and get a spot,” Jung said with a smile. Depending on how much stronger Jung gets when he becomes a registered player, the SSG infield backup structure could be in flux.