The youth baseball system in the United States is one people know well. Kids play T-ball in their earliest days of the sport. They then play Little League and then for a travel team during their schooling years. If a kid is fortunate enough, they will play for their high school, then college, and the best of the best will play professional baseball in the MLB/MiLB system.
But what does this look like in other countries? For Anyang, South Korea native Seojun Oh (Transfer Portal), the path to college and eventually professional baseball has been very different.
Compared to the structure of the baseball system in the United States, the system in Korea is not too different. Little League exists in South Korea, with the country having won three LLWS Championships. In addition, there are tons of local clubs and leagues similar to the travel teams of the United States.
While the structure of youth baseball is very similar to the United States, the way kids are raised in the system is quite different. Instead of focusing on strictly winning or playing a ton of games, youth baseball is primarily focused on player development through practices. This allows for players to have a greater understanding of the fundamentals of the game as well as how to work well with teammates. The method has clearly paid off, as the domestic KBO league is one of the best in the world with about 90% of the players being Korean.
“In South Korea, we just have a lot of practice…” Oh said. “Coaches teach the same thing a lot, the fundamentals like catching and throwing or hitting a hard line drive.”
As for Oh, his rise through the Korean system starts as a boy growing up in the suburbs of the capital, Seoul. He started playing the game around the age of nine, when he was enrolled in a Little League team. From there, he played with local school teams.
“My first team was a Little League one, and it was a lot of fun,” Oh said. “The field was right next to my home.”
When Oh got older, he started playing for his high school. High school baseball is incredibly competitive in South Korea, as it is often the last stop before professional baseball for future KBO players and scouts will show up at games. Additionally, only a few schools offer the sport but the teams are often highly skilled. Oh played his high school baseball at Yatap High School in Gyeonggi, South Korea.
“High school baseball in South Korea is a very competitive league,” Oh said. “We only have like 70 high schools that play baseball but everyone is elite or trying to become a pro baseball player.”
When it came time to choose the next step in his baseball career, there were several options that were available. If Oh wanted to stay in South Korea, he could have tried to go to the KBO or play college baseball in Korea, which is less competitive and has lower future outcomes than American college baseball.
Instead, he chose to attend New Mexico Military Institute, where he dominated the Junior College circuit. In 2025, he hit for a .379 batting average with seven home runs. Oh saw baseball in the United States as a great opportunity to further his career and also develop his English skills.
But for his junior season, Oh decided it was time for a change. He entered the transfer portal, where he chose to play at High Point because he loved the coaches and the care they put into the team. It was a great choice, as Oh won Big South Player of the Year while hitting for a .351 batting average and 17 home runs with the Panthers. Now in the transfer portal again, Oh will get to find another home for his final year of collegiate baseball.
Recently arriving in Cotuit, Oh has discovered a unique feature of the American baseball system, the college summer league. Oh has found the Kettleer community to be a key factor of why he has enjoyed the experience so far.
“I love the town here and all the people,” Oh said. “The crowds at our games are fantastic and I love the team too.”
What the future holds for Oh is unknown. He may reach the MLB, KBO, or another professional organization. What is known though, is that the future is bright for the 22 year-old South Korean catcher.
