1. Early Life and Education
Jang Pill-joon's early life and educational background laid the foundation for his athletic career.
1.1. Birth and Childhood
Jang Pill-joon was born on April 8, 1988, in South Korea.
1.2. Educational Background
He attended Onyang Oncheon Elementary School, followed by Onyang Middle School. For his high school education, he matriculated at Cheonan Bukil High School, a prominent baseball powerhouse in South Korea.
2. Professional Baseball Career
Jang Pill-joon's professional baseball journey spans across various leagues and teams, marked by a determined pursuit of his career goals.
2.1. Early Career Path and Military Service
In 2007, after graduating from Cheonan Bukil High School, Jang Pill-joon was the first-round draft pick for the Hanwha Eagles in the KBO League Draft. However, he ultimately refused to sign a contract with the team due to disagreements regarding the signing bonus. Following this decision, he opted to fulfill his mandatory military service early, joining the Sangmu Baseball Team, a military athletic unit, during which his playing rights with the Hanwha Eagles eventually expired.
2.2. United States Baseball Career
After completing his military service, Jang Pill-joon once again declined an offer from the Hanwha Eagles, choosing instead to pursue a career in the United States.
2.2.1. Minor League Baseball
Upon his arrival in the United States, Jang Pill-joon signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Angels organization in December 2008. He played within the Angels' minor league system until 2011. Despite his efforts, he was released by the organization without making an appearance in Major League Baseball. He also had a stint playing in Australia for the Perth Heat.
2.2.2. Independent League Baseball
In 2012, after his release from the Los Angeles Angels, Jang Pill-joon continued his baseball career in the independent league circuit. He joined the Las Cruces Vaqueros, a team part of the Pecos League.
2.3. KBO League Career
Jang Pill-joon eventually returned to South Korea, making his debut in the KBO League and establishing himself as a significant relief pitcher.
2.3.1. Samsung Lions Era
Jang Pill-joon was drafted by the Samsung Lions in the 2015 KBO League Rookie Draft, selected as the first pick of the second round, making him the ninth overall pick. Prior to his debut, he underwent elbow surgery and spent time rehabilitating. He made his KBO League first-team debut on August 30, 2015, in a game against the LG Twins, starting as a pitcher. However, his debut was challenging, as he allowed two home runs and six earned runs in just two innings. For the entire 2015 season, he appeared in only two games, finishing with a high ERA of 15.75.
His performance improved significantly in the 2016 season, where he appeared in 56 games, pitching 72 innings. He recorded 4 wins, 6 losses, 9 holds, and 4 saves, with an ERA of 5.13, demonstrating a respectable contribution from the bullpen. In 2017, Jang Pill-joon was promoted to the crucial closer role for the Samsung Lions. His strong performance that season earned him the highest salary increase among all players on the team after the 2017 season concluded.
2.3.2. Kiwoom Heroes Era
Later in his career, Jang Pill-joon joined the Kiwoom Heroes.
3. International Career
Jang Pill-joon has represented South Korea in various international baseball tournaments.
3.1. 2017 Asia Professional Baseball Championship
In 2017, Jang Pill-joon was selected to join the South Korea national baseball team for the inaugural Asia Professional Baseball Championship (APBC). During the tournament, he notably recorded a save in a game against Chinese Taipei.
3.2. 2018 Asian Games
In 2018, he was again chosen to represent South Korea in baseball at the 18th Asian Games, held in Jakarta-Palembang.
4. Career Statistics
Jang Pill-joon's professional career statistics are detailed below. The table includes his annual pitching records and overall achievements throughout his career in the KBO League.
| Year | Team | ERA | Games | Complete Games | Shutouts | Wins | Losses | Saves | Holds | Win% | Batters Faced | Innings Pitched | Hits Allowed | Home Runs Allowed | Walks | Hit by Pitch | Strikeouts | Runs Allowed | Earned Runs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Samsung | 15.75 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 22 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 7 |
| 2016 | 5.13 | 56 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 0.400 | 317 | 72 | 82 | 9 | 26 | 5 | 57 | 42 | 41 | |
| 2017 | 4.68 | 56 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 21 | 3 | 0.333 | 307 | 67⅓ | 82 | 6 | 26 | 4 | 82 | 37 | 35 | |
| 2018 | 4.34 | 61 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 13 | 0.500 | 290 | 66⅓ | 65 | 6 | 25 | 6 | 74 | 35 | 32 | |
| 2019 | 3.62 | 61 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 15 | 0.500 | 302 | 69⅔ | 64 | 7 | 33 | 3 | 53 | 29 | 28 | |
| 2020 | 5.75 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0.000 | 170 | 36 | 46 | 6 | 16 | 0 | 26 | 24 | 23 | |
| 2021 | 7.27 | 41 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | - | 174 | 34⅔ | 46 | 4 | 27 | 1 | 24 | 30 | 28 | |
| 2022 | 5.70 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 139 | 30 | 38 | 1 | 15 | 3 | 17 | 20 | 19 | |
| 2023 | 7.91 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.500 | 96 | 19⅓ | 28 | 2 | 12 | 2 | 11 | 17 | 17 | |
| 2024 | 135.00 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 6 | ⅓ | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | |
| Career Total | 10 Seasons | 5.29 | 345 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 29 | 42 | 47 | 0.370 | 1823 | 399⅔ | 466 | 43 | 180 | 24 | 348 | 246 | 235 |
- Bold text indicates a career high for that respective season.
5. Personal Life
Jang Pill-joon is married to Jang Ha-ri. Their wedding is scheduled to take place on December 7, 2024.
6. Evaluation
Jang Pill-joon's career stands as a testament to his resilience and determination in professional baseball. His unconventional path, which involved initially refusing a draft offer from the Hanwha Eagles and venturing into the American minor and independent leagues before returning to the KBO League, showcases a strong will to forge his own trajectory in the sport. Despite a challenging debut in the KBO, Jang steadily developed into a highly reliable relief pitcher for the Samsung Lions. His eventual promotion to the closer role and subsequent success in that position highlight his ability to adapt and excel under pressure. Throughout his time with the Samsung Lions and later the Kiwoom Heroes, he consistently contributed as a key arm out of the bullpen, earning recognition for his steady performance and becoming an important component of his teams' pitching staffs. His participation in international tournaments further solidified his standing as a talented South Korean baseball player.