KT Wiz (케이티 위즈) RHP Ko Young-pyo Scouting Report (고영표), March 2018

Arm-side run back on his fastball; lots of late life with good tail, and occasional sink when he manipulates and keeps his hand on top at release. Powerful with quick arm speed and easy, free release; ball gives look like it’s exploding to the plate harder than radar gun readings; likely more velocity in his arm than what he showed here, but obviously early in spring training right now. Low three-quarters release with drop-and-drive mechanics means the fastball tends to flatten out without consistent downhill life, though; will struggle to get off plane and miss barrels with depth; risks being fairly hittable on a single plane even with late horizontal life. Velocity: 85-89.

Sweeping slider; plenty of spin and very sharp with late break to the plate, but also horizontal/sweeping with lots more movement across to glove side than there is depth. Good feel for the pitch side to side and will freeze RHH by starting it in and letting it run out over the plate. As with fastball, slider tends to flatten out and stay on one plane due to the low arm angle, particularly when he drops his elbow. Will produce more of a sweeping horizontal cutter than a true slider that has enough depth to consistently miss bats. Velocity: 71-76.

Very good feel for the changeup; tunnels identically to his fastball and it makes for a tough pitch for hitters to pick up. Late arm-side life with good tumble; more consistent depth here than with the rest of his repertoire. Sells the pitch exceptionally well with good arm action and arm speed. Prefers to command it arm-side and let it run, but can get it out glove-side as necessary, though not quite as consistently. Appears to be his strikeout pitch, particularly to LHH. Velocity: 75-79.

Plenty of horizontal life in his repertoire, and command profile suffers a bit for it. Control is above-average; will fill up the zone and has a track record of challenging hitters in KBO (walked just 16 hitters in 141.2 innings pitched over 24 starts in 2017). Command isn’t as refined, though, with trouble hitting spots and keeping fastball/changeup from taking off and running arm-side off the plate or out over the plate when he tries to go glove-side. Misses down in the zone side to side but keeps the ball over the plate to challenge hitters; unrefined. With repertoire as it is now, markedly improved command will push him to take next step forward in budding KBO career.

Worked exclusively from the stretch in my look at San Manuel this week. Low three-quarters/nearly side-arm slot, great raw arm strength with clean, quick arm action and lots of arm speed. Whip like arm action; very loose arm with low release and tendency to drop elbow. Can turn into a sidewinder at times, falling hard to first base side after horizontal rotation through release. Repeatable, relatively low-effort delivery sustainable in rotation work though; encouraging ability to repeat release point even with unique arm action/angle.

Big, tall, sturdy frame with physically strong lower half. More or less at final physical form without much room left to grow into his body; athletic with good stamina and strength, repeatable delivery ideal for rotation work. Undoubtedly must be more velo than what he showed in spring training work in my looks; ball comes out of his hand very easily with plenty of life, and would be a sight to see with a couple added ticks of velo.

Ko Young-pyo transitioned full-time into the starting rotation for KT Wiz in 2017 after a few years working in the bullpen. He really fills up the strike zone and while he didn’t have as good a year statistically in 2017 as he might have hoped, there’s a lot to work with here as far as challenging hitters and throwing ground balls are concerned. At his ceiling, at least relative to American organizations, he’s probably a back-end arm rotation arm at best with a more likely swingman role in his future. He’s hittable and really fills the zone, but not much in his repertoire can consistently miss bats with downward life, and so that points to lower leverage long-relief/swingman starter roles. Improved command may help push that a bit. MLB ETA: N/A.