Jin-yong Seo

Jin-yong Seo (서진용)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 194 lb.

• High School Kyungnam High School

• Born October 2, 1992 in Busan South Korea

BR register page

Biographical Information

Jin-yong Seo has pitched in the Korea Baseball Organization and for the South Korea national baseball team.

Seo was drafted by the SK Wyverns in the first round of the 2011 KBO draft, and he missed his first two seasons due to knee injury. Seo then spent his 2013 and 2014 seasons in the military, during which time he also represented Korea in the 2013 East Asian Games (winning a Silver Medal). He made his KBO debut in 2015, but he struggled as his ERA was 5.91 in 18 appearances. Seo underwent Tommy John surgery in May, and he missed a year. He returned in 2016, and his ERA was 4.73 in 25 appearances. Seo notched 3 saves with a 3.91 ERA in 42 relief outings in 2017, but his ERA rose to 6.12 in 48 appearances with 12 holds in 2018. He allowed 3 runs in 2018 Korean Series Game 2, and SK beat the Doosan Bears in 6 games.

The Busan native finally broke out in his 9th season as a pro player. He collected 33 holds with a 2.38 ERA in 72 appearances, and he set the team record for most holds by a right-handed pitcher. Seo was 2nd in games (3 behind Hyo-jun Ko) and 2nd in holds (7 behind Sang-su Kim). Seo collected 12 holds and 8 saves with a 4.13 ERA in 63 relief outings in 2020, and he was 6th in appearances (tied with Chi-guk Park). The Wyverns became the SSG Landers after that season, and he had 9 saves and 3 holds with a 3.34 ERA in 65 games in 2021. The Landers named Seo as their closer in 2022, and he notched 21 saves with a 4.01 ERA in 68 games. He was 6th in saves (between Yong-chan Lee and Geon-hui Hong) and 6th in appearances (tied with Myeong-sin Kim, Jong-hyan Won and Yu-yeong Kim). He was also selected into the 2022 KBO All-Star Game, and he struck out 2 in a shutout inning. He pitched a shutout inning in both 2022 Korean Series Game 2 and Game 3, and he got his second title.

Seo had his career year in 2023. He notched his 15th save before allowing any earned runs, and he was the first pitcher to do so in KBO history. Seo set the KBO record for having 28 consecutive saves without a blown save, and he became the first pitcher to get 30 saves without a blown save, on August 5. He broke Jae-hoon Ha's team record for most saves in a season with 37 on September 23, and he notched the 10,000th save in KBO history on September 27. Seo ended up collecting 42 saves with a 2.71 ERA in 69 games, and he led the league in saves. However, Seo suffered from an elbow injury, so he struggled in 2024. His ERA was 5.55 in 51 games, and he only got 6 holds.

Sources

• Namu wiki