MLB announces scholarship to support young Korean baseball players

Baseball

Published: 11 Oct. 2022, 13:38

MLB announces scholarship to support young Korean baseball players

Korea Little League Baseball Federation President Yu Seung-an, left, poses for a photo alongside MLB representative Song Sun-jae after announcing a new scholarship for Korean baseball prospects on Tuesday. [SPORTS INTELLIGENCE GROUP]

The MLB will begin providing scholarships for up-and-coming baseball players in Korea, marking the first time the top baseball league has established a scholarship program outside of the United States.

"As we celebrate hosting the MLB Cup in Korea this year, we will be providing an MLB Cup scholarship to grow baseball prospects in Korea," the MLB announced in a statement on Tuesday.

A total of 20 recipients will be selected for the MLB Cup scholarship based on their sportsmanship, family background, coach recommendation, merit and performance at the MLB Cup, hosted by the Korea Little League Baseball Federation.

The third edition of the Korean version of MLB Cup will be held this year at Kang Chang-hak Baseball Stadium in Seogwipo, Jeju from Wednesday to Saturday. The event was first held in 2019 and resumed in 2021 after a one-year Covid-19 break.

"MLB is committed to providing opportunities for boys and girls to play the game of baseball," said MLB Senior Vice President Jim Small. "We believe the expanded MLB Cup tournament in Korea and the new scholarship fund will do just that."

As well as the MLB Cup scholarship, MLB will also provide other funding to support Korean youth baseball.

A total of 23.1 million won ($16,000) was raised through the 2022 FTX MLB Home Run Derby X, a new event launched by the MLB this year, which has been donated to Korea Little League. That money was donated based on the number of times players taking part in the Home Run Derby hit specific targets on the field.

As well as the MLB Home Run Derby, Major League Baseball is returning to Korea in November to play four games against a team of KBO players: Two at Busan’s Sajik Baseball Stadium and two at Seoul’s Gocheok Sky Dome.

The MLB World Tour Korea stop will mark the first time official games organized by the MLB have been played in Korea in 100 years, since the 1922 Asian Tour that included stops in China, Japan and Korea, which at the time was occupied by Japanese colonial forces.

BY YUN SO-HYANG [yun.sohyang@joongang.co.kr]