'152km' 19세 진우영, KC 첫 韓메이저리거? "2024년 데뷔 유력" 집중조명

루키리그 마운드에 오른 진우영. 사진=진우영 SNS

[스포츠조선 김영록 기자]"진우영은 2024년 메이저리그(MLB) 데뷔가 유력한 유망주다. 손가락 사이로 미끄러지듯 날아가는 스플리터는 고속 카메라로도 믿을 수 없을 정도의 구위를 지니고 있다."

진우영(19)이 캔자스시티 로열스 사상 첫 한국인 메이저리거가 될 수 있을까.

1994년 박찬호(당시 LA 다저스)를 시작으로, 메이저리그(MLB)에서는 총 23명의 한국인 선수가 활약했다. 지난 시즌에는 류현진(LA다저스→토론토 블루제이스), 추신수(텍사스 레인저스), 최지만(탬파베이 레이스), 강정호(피츠버그 파이어리츠)까지 4명이 뛰었다. 올시즌 강정호는 미계약 상태지만, 대신 김광현(세인트루이스 카디널스)이 합류했다.

그 다음 자리에 진우영의 이름이 새겨질 수 있을까. 진우영은 박효준(뉴욕 양키스), 배지환(피츠버그), 최현일(LA다저스)과 더불어 마이너리그에서 활약중인 한국인 선수다. 최향남 감독으로 유명한 글로벌 선진학교 출신이다.

캔자스 지역 매체 로열스리뷰는 8일(한국시각) 루키리그 첫 시즌을 소화한 진우영에 대해 '2024년 빅리그 데뷔가 유력하다'고 소개했다. '고교 시절 95마일(약 152㎞) 직구를 던지는 투수이자 홈런 7개를 때려낸 거포 3루수였다. 캔자스시티에서는 투수로서의 미래를 기대한다'는 말과 함께 파워 쇼케이스 당시 진우영의 인터뷰, 지난해 루키리그에서의 피칭 영상도 소개했다.

진우영은 2017년 12월 마이애미 말린스파크에서 열린 국제 파워 쇼케이스를 통해 미국 야구 관계자들에게 눈도장을 찍었다. 이듬해 8월 27일 계약금 15만 달러(약 1억8300만원)에 캔자스시티와 정식 입단 계약을 했고, 2019년 6월 루키리그에서 데뷔전을 치렀다.

진우영은 지난해 루키리그에서 14경기에 등판, 6승2패2세이브 평균자책점 2.35의 호성적을 남겼다. 2019년 애리조나 로열스(캔자스시티 산하 루키팀) 최고의 선수로 꼽힐 만한 성적이다. 46이닝 동안 삼진 54개를 잡아낸 구위가 돋보인다. 불펜이지만 총 5경기에서 3이닝 이상을 소화했다. 나머지 경기에서도 꾸준히 2이닝 이상 던졌다. 8월 시즌 마지막 경기에는 첫 선발 등판의 감격도 누렸다. 이 경기에서도 5이닝 동안 4안타 1실점 탈삼진 4개로 쾌투했다. 올시즌 싱글A, 더블A로의 월반이 유력하다.

미국 야구 통계 사이트 팬그래프닷컴은 진우영이 23세가 되는 2024년 메이저리그에 데뷔할 것으로 예측했다. 매체는 한 메이저리그 스카우트의 표현을 빌려 '다르빗슈 2세'로 불리는 유키 카이토(18·캔자스시티)와 비교하는 한편 '진우영은 로저 클레멘스 못지 않은 위력적인 공을 지녔다. 특히 강력한 스플리터가 주무기라는 점에서 닮았다'고 강조했다.

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