KIA’s newest foreign pitcher, Mario Sanchez, will make his KBO debut. KIA manager Kim Jong-kook announced that Sanchez will start against Suwon KT on April 9.
On June 6, KIA signed two foreign pitchers at once. Sanchez (185 cm, 75 kg), a right-handed pitcher from Venezuela, played 10 seasons in the U.S. minor leagues and was playing for the Tung Yi Lions of the Taiwanese Professional Baseball League this year.
In 10 games (nine starts) for Tung Yi, Sanchez went 8-1 with 안전놀이터 a 1.44 ERA. He led the league in wins and ERA.
Sanchez arrived in the country on May 5, passed a medical test, and was granted a work visa. “Sanchez is scheduled to register as a player on the 8th,” a KIA team official said.
Before the game against Suwon KT on July 7, Kim said, “Sanchez and I met at the hotel for lunch today and talked. I told him to prepare for Sunday’s game.” “He joined the training from today. I saw his pitching form, and he seems to have a stable form and mechanics. We’ll have to wait and see, but I’m excited about his ability to run the game and his variety of pitches.”
Another foreign pitcher, Panoni, arrived on June 6 and is currently in the process of getting a work visa. “As soon as he gets his work visa, we will schedule a pitching schedule,” Kim said. He is expected to pitch in the last three games of the first half.