South Korea’s national baseball team is gearing up for the highly anticipated 2024 WBSC Premier12 tournament, facing off against some of the top teams from around the globe. This year’s tournament, which features the highest ranked twelve nations, is set to take place across various venues, with the first match scheduled for November 13 against Taiwan at the Taipei Dome.
Leading the charge for the South Korean team is pitcher 고영표 from the kt wiz, who has been named the starting pitcher for the opening match. Coach 류중일 announced the lineup at the official press conference held at the Howard Plaza Hotel in Taipei on November 12. He expressed confidence in 고영표’s ability to handle the Taiwanese batsmen, particularly due to their tendencies when facing left-handed pitchers.
“We analyzed the swing patterns of the Taiwanese hitters, and we believe they'll struggle against pitches thrown low,” 류 감독 stated. High expectations are set for 고영표, who has had six wins and eight losses this season with an earned run average (ERA) of 4.95 over 18 games.
On the other side of the field, Taiwan will counter with left-handed pitcher 린위민, who has spent this season fluctuatively pitching between Double-A and Triple-A levels of the Minor Leagues, recording three wins and six losses with an ERA of 4.05 across 21 games.
The historical matchups between the two nations tell an engaging story. According to the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), South Korea has dominated the head-to-head records with 26 wins to Taiwan’s 16. Yet, recent performances reflect closer competition, with South Korea losing three out of the last five encounters.
This year's Premier12 tournament will be held from November 13 to 24, and South Korea is placed in Group B alongside Taiwan, Cuba, Japan, the Dominican Republic, and Australia. The tournament follows a round-robin structure where the top two teams will advance to the Super Round held at the Tokyo Dome later this month.
South Korea has historically performed well at the Premier12 events, winning the first tournament held in 2015 and finishing as the runner-up during the following edition in 2019. The team aims to capitalize on its past successes to potentially reclaim its glory.
The upcoming matches will be broadcast through paid channels including 스포티비 프라임 and 네이버 TV, ensuring fans can catch all the action as it happens.
Here’s the full schedule for South Korea’s upcoming matches during the group stage:
November 13: 7:30 PM vs. Taiwan at Taipei Dome
November 14: 7:00 PM vs. Cuba at Tianmu Baseball Stadium
November 15: 7:00 PM vs. Japan at Taipei Dome
November 16: 7:30 PM vs. Dominican Republic at Tianmu Baseball Stadium
November 18: 1:00 PM vs. Australia at Tianmu Baseball Stadium
The final roster for the South Korean team includes several standout players, featuring pitchers such as 정해영, 최지민, and 고영표, alongside catchers like 박동원 and 김형준. The team’s batting lineup boasts prominent names, ensuring both depth and experience as they take on formidable opponents.
With fans back home excited, the stakes couldn't be higher as the players prepare to showcase their skills on this international stage. Nerves are sure to be elevated as they set out to not only take home victory but to establish South Korea’s prowess in international baseball once more.
