Dae-Sung Koo

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked New York Mets #18 prospect in 2005
  Koo is a hero in his native Korea for his work in the 2000 Olympics, when he outdueled Japan's Daisuke Matsuzaka in the bronze-medal game, notching 10 strikeouts. By then, he already had established himself as one of the best pitchers in the Korean Baseball Organization. He was the league's MVP in 1996, when he went 18-3, 1.88 with 24 saves. He added to his fame by becoming one of the few Korean players to make a successful transition to the Japanese majors. Koo flirted with signing with the Yankees before agreeing to a one-year contract with the Mets. He'll earn $400,000 if he makes the big league team, with the possibility for another $700,000 in incentives. Primarily a starter in Japan, Koo will pitch out of the bullpen for New York. He has a twisting windup that hides the ball, especially from lefthanders. His stuff is solid, as he complements an 86-89 mph fastball with a slider that rates a tick above-average. He can get righthanders out with an average curveball and will occasionally use a below-average changeup, so he could see action as a spot starter.