| W | L | ERA | G | GS | SV | IP | SO | WHIP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 3.38 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 13 | 0.75 |
| Career Minors | 0 | 0 | 3.38 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 13 | 0.75 |
| G | W-L | ERA | IP | SO | WHIP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 4 | 0-0 | 3.38 | 8 | 13 | 0.75 |
| Career Minors | 4 | 0-0 | 3.38 | 8 | 13 | 0.75 |
| Season | Tm | LG | L | W | L | ERA | G | GS | SV | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | WHIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | FCL Pirates | FCL | ROK | 0 | 0 | 3.38 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 8.0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 0.75 |
| FCL Pirates | FCL | ROK | 0 | 0 | 3.38 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 8.0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 0.75 | |
| Career Minors | FCL Pirates | FCL | 0 | 0 | 3.38 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 8.0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 0.75 |
Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 60 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 55
The scouts that have seen Shim pitch make a case that he is the best arm in this year’s international class.
What’s not to like?
He throws a fastball that tops out at 100 mph and consistently sits in the 94-96 range. He features a true 12-6 curveball and shows good command of all of his pitches. What’s more, the big and strong-bodied Shim has been praised for his clean arm action and his athleticism.
It’s also worth noting that his slider and changeup are also emerging and could eventually develop into plus pitches in the future. He’s been compared to a young Chan Ho Park since his early teens because of his poise, makeup and fastball.
Kim is currently eligible to sign with a Major League team but will likely wait until the start of the next international signing period in January to sign.
Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 55 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40
Shim was MLB Pipeline's second-highest ranked pitcher in the 2023 international class, and he opted to sign with the Pirates for $750,000 rather than stay home and get drafted in South Korea's KBO League. He has barely pitched since turning pro, with his debut limited to four Rookie-ball outings because of a right pectoral strain. A shoulder injury had sidelined him for all of the 2024 season when Pittsburgh included him in a July trade that brought Bryan De La Cruz from the Marlins.
At 6-foot-4, Shim has the chance to grow into a big power pitcher with a four-pitch mix. His live arm can fire fastballs that flirt with triple digits and comfortably sit in the mid-90s. He generates high spin rates on a pair of solid breaking pitches: a curveball with 12-to-6 break at its best and a harder slider. He’s still working on gaining consistency with his changeup.
Shim has a clean arm action overall and a feel for landing his stuff in the zone, but he needs reps to hone his craft after winding up on the shelf for much of his first two pro seasons. He also missed time with elbow issues in Korea in 2021, so there are legitimate questions about his durability. If he can stay healthy, he has the stuff to pitch in the front half of a big league rotation.
Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 45 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45 | Overall: 45
Shim decided to forego the draft in the Korean professional league (KBO) so he could sign with a Major League organization, and many were interested in one of the top arms in the 2023 signing class. Ranked No. 10 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 50 international prospect rankings when the period opened on Jan. 15, Shim signed with the Pirates for $750,000, officially joining the organization on Jan. 26.
The second highest-ranked pitcher in this year’s class, Shim has the chance to have a four-pitch mix with a very live arm. His fastball sits in the 94-96 mph range and can touch triple digits. It plays thanks to good spin and riding life up in the zone, reminding some of the heater of former Pirate Gerrit Cole, who Shim grew up idolizing. He has a really good feel for spinning a breaking ball, with a curve that has true 12-to-6 characteristics, and also is developing a harder slider. He has an emerging changeup that could give him a fourth viable option.
The 6-foot-4 right-hander has a good feel for the strike zone and scouts liked his clean arm action and athleticism on the mound. He’ll be 19 for the 2023 season and it will be interesting to see what he can do with pro instruction to go along with strength and conditioning.
| Team | Date | Transaction |
|---|---|---|
|
11/04/2024 | FCL Marlins activated RHP Jun-Seok Shim. |
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09/25/2024 | RHP Jun-Seok Shim assigned to Peoria Javelinas. |
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07/30/2024 | Miami Marlins traded RF Bryan De La Cruz to Pittsburgh Pirates for RHP Jun-Seok Shim and 3B Garret Forrester. |
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07/30/2024 | RHP Jun-Seok Shim assigned to FCL Marlins. |
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03/21/2024 | FCL Pirates placed RHP Jun-Seok Shim on the 60-day injured list. |
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03/21/2024 | FCL Pirates placed RHP Jun-Seok Shim on the 60-day injured list. |
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09/30/2023 | FCL Pirates activated RHP Jun-Seok Shim from the 7-day injured list. |
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08/15/2023 | FCL Pirates placed RHP Jun-Seok Shim on the 7-day injured list. |
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08/08/2023 | FCL Pirates activated RHP Jun-Seok Shim from the 7-day injured list. |
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06/21/2023 | FCL Pirates placed RHP Jun-Seok Shim on the 7-day injured list. |
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06/05/2023 | RHP Jun-Seok Shim assigned to FCL Pirates. |
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04/27/2023 | Pirates Organization activated RHP Jun-Seok Shim. |
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04/27/2023 | Pirates Organization activated RHP Jun-Seok Shim. |
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01/26/2023 | RHP Jun-Seok Shim assigned to DSL PIT Gold. |
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01/26/2023 | Pittsburgh Pirates signed free agent RHP Jun-Seok Shim to a minor league contract. |
