LA Dodgers sign top Korean high school pitching prospect Jang Hyun-seok

The signing: Jang’s agency, Leeco Sports Agency, announced the 19-year-old pitcher’s agreeance to a $900,000 signing bonus as an international free agent on Wednesday.

A “tough decision”: Although Jang, listed at 6 feet 2 inches tall and 198 pounds, was expected to be first pick in the Korean Baseball Organization, he announced last week that he would be bypassing the draft to play in the MLB.

“It was a tough decision for me because I dreamed of pitching both in the KBO and MLB,” Jang said in a statement. “But ultimately, I wanted to challenge myself in the best league in the world and decided to take a crack at MLB.”

Jang’s season: In seven appearances this season, opponents have only hit seven of the right-hander’s pitches with no home runs. Jang is 3-0 with a 0.33 ERA (earned run average), with his fastest pitch having been clocked at 156 kilometers per hour, or approximately 96.9 miles per hour.

In addition to his joining the Dodgers, Jang will be the youngest player and only amateur on the South Korean national team for the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, in September.