The Rangers signed "Shohei Ohtani of South Korea" high school second-class player Kim Sung-joon

The Rangers signed "South Korea's Shohei Ohtani", and announced on the 19th that they have signed South Korea's second-class player Kim Sung-jun (Seong-Jun Kim), Kim Sung-jun is currently a fourth-year student at Gwangju No. 1 High School in South Korea, and will graduate in January 2026, when he will officially join the Rangers.

Hamilton Wise, senior director of scouting and development for Rangers International, said that Kim Sung-joon is not only a world-class talent, but also a man of great character, "We were very impressed with his defensive ability and striking performance, and he was also quite impressive on the pitcher's mound. We have a full plan to develop him as a two-rate player."

"We believe he has what it takes on to take on this task. More than his skills, though, are his character, which aligns with the Rangers' values. He's a world-class competitor with the character and mentality to make a positive impact on the team." Wise said.

Kim Sung-joon is the fifth player from Gwangju No. 1 High School to join the U.S. professional team, but he is the first player to sign with the U.S. professional team directly after graduating from high school. Previously, Gwangju No. 1 High School had Kim Byung-hyun (Arizona Rattlesnakes, 1999), Choi Hee-sub (Chicago Cubs, 1999), Seo Jae-young (New York Mets, 1998) and Kang Jung-ho (Pittsburgh Pirates, 2015) entering the MLB.

Kim Sung-joon, assisted by an interpreter for Rangers international scout Andre Park, said he chose to join the U.S. instead of the Korean draft because he thought it would accelerate his ascension to the major leagues.

"It's not going to be easy, but I'll do my best and never regret it," Kim Sung-joon said. "As long as I can improve myself faster, I can be the best player in the big leagues. That's why I chose the Rangers."

The 18-year-old, 6ft2" tall and £185 weighs £185 has been voted the Weekend League MVP for the first half of 2025 this year. In addition, he won the KBSA High School Player of the Year award in 2024.

In the first half of the 2025 season, Kim Sung-joon averaged .333 batting average and 1.015 OPS per game. As a pitcher, he has a fast ball of up to 95 miles and has two excellent curveballs and a finger ball that allows hitters to swing well.

Wise points out that signing a South Korean high school student is a challenge in itself, let alone developing him into a two-player player.

"The food is different, the language is different, the culture and coaching style are very different," Wise said. "We need to allocate resources around him to make sure he can adapt smoothly. Over the next year, we will be preparing for him to settle in quickly when he officially checks in."

Currently, Kim Sung-joon is more mature in terms of pitchers, with excellent fast balls and several effective variation balls. However, while many believe that his future should be more focused on pitchers, the Rangers plan to develop him as a two-way player.

"We had a lot of internal discussions, and the question was not whether those players had the potential to do two-tricks, but whether they were willing to take on the challenge. They know exactly how difficult the road is. When difficulties come, do they back down or rise to the occasion? Kim Sung-joon is well aware of the weight of this choice."

"We have a good understanding of his background and he is a very good young man," he said. So we have high hopes for him. It's a huge challenge, but if he adapts successfully, we have no doubt that his talent will be on full display."