Rookie Pitcher Jung Woo-joo Throws Immaculate Inning for Hanwha Eagles

Hanwha Eagles rookie pitcher Jung Woo-joo made a decisive impression on the mound, delivering a rare “immaculate inning” in the KBO League.

On August 28, during the bottom of the seventh inning at Seoul’s Gocheok Sky Dome, Jung Woo-joo took the mound for Hanwha in relief. With his team leading 8-3 and facing a precarious situation—runners on first and second with no outs—he faced off against Im Ji-yeol, Kim Woong-bin, and Ruben Cardenas of the Kiwoom Heroes. Jung retired all three batters with just nine pitches, each going down on three straight strikes.

With this performance, Jung Woo-joo achieved an immaculate inning—striking out three hitters in a single inning with the minimum of nine pitches. This feat has occurred only eleven times in KBO League history, and he is just the second rookie pitcher from Hanwha to achieve it.

The last time an immaculate inning was recorded by a rookie was by Kim Taek-yeon of the Doosan Bears in 2023. Earlier this season, Im Chan-kyu of the LG Twins also accomplished the same feat on April 10.

On this day, Jung exhibited boldness by throwing only fastballs for all nine pitches, overpowering every batter he faced. Kiwoom hitters came to the plate anticipating a mix of pitches, but were repeatedly left swinging at air, unable to connect.

The stadium was filled with scouts from 11 Major League Baseball clubs—including representatives keeping an eye on players like Cody Ponce of Hanwha and Song Seong-mun of Kiwoom, both of whom aim to move stateside next year. The scouts applauded Jung Woo-joo’s dazzling display and his historic, flawless inning.

Note “This article was translated from the original Korean version using AI assistance, and subsequently edited by a native-speaking journalist.”

Photo=Hanwha Eagles, LG Twins