Kiwoom Heroes Select Ha Hyun-seung No. 1 Overall in 2027 KBO Draft

The Kiwoom Heroes selected two-way Busan High School star Ha Hyun-seung with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 KBO Rookie Draft on Monday, September 21, adding one of South Korea’s most closely watched young baseball talents after he turned down reported interest from Major League Baseball.

Kiwoom general manager Heo Seung-pil announced Ha as both a pitcher and position player at the draft in Seoul, preserving the two-way possibility that has followed the 18-year-old throughout his rise. Ha said after the selection that he wants to prepare quickly and reach the KBO first team as soon as possible.

Ha Hyun-seung arrives after dominant 2026 season

Ha’s case for the first pick was built on production on both sides of the ball. In 14 high school pitching appearances this year, the left-hander went 4-0 with a 0.39 ERA, striking out 77 in 45 2/3 innings. At the plate, he hit .383 with three home runs, 21 RBIs and a 1.088 OPS in 24 games.

His stock climbed even higher at the U-18 Asian Baseball Championship in Taiwan. Ha went 3-0 without allowing a run in 15 2/3 innings and struck out 25. He finished the tournament by throwing a seven-inning, one-hit shutout against Japan in the championship game as South Korea won 2-0.

That performance capped a tournament in which Ha also threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts against Chinese Taipei and three perfect relief innings against Japan in the Super Round.

Yankees offer made his KBO decision more significant

Ha had an opportunity to begin his professional career overseas. Multiple Korean reports said the New York Yankees offered him roughly $3 million, but he chose to remain in South Korea and enter the KBO draft instead.

His longer-term ambition has not disappeared. Ha has spoken publicly about developing in the KBO and potentially pursuing Major League Baseball later through the posting system. For now, the immediate question is how Kiwoom develops a player whose high school résumé includes both frontline pitching and middle-of-the-order production.

Kiwoom keeps two-way option open

Ha has recently indicated that pitching may ultimately become his primary path, but Kiwoom’s draft announcement deliberately recognized both parts of his game. His fastball has reached beyond 150 km/h, while his slider has developed into another major weapon.

Asked after being selected which KBO players he would like to face, Ha named KIA Tigers star Kim Do-young as a hitter he wants to pitch against and Doosan Bears ace Kwak Been as a pitcher he wants to face from the batter’s box.

Those matchups remain for the future. Monday’s selection made the first part official: after choosing the KBO over an immediate move to the United States, Ha Hyun-seung will begin his professional career with the Kiwoom Heroes.