The Genius Hitter Who Conquered America - Chapter 119

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 119
Upon leaving the conference room, I made my way directly to the 1st Floor Lobby.
Mark and Casey, who had been waiting in anticipation, sprang from the sofa like coiled springs and rushed toward me.
“Wow, looks like we’ve got a VVIP guest of General Manager Brandon.”
Mark flashed his characteristic easy-going smile and gave my shoulder a playful tap.
Though his expression was light and teasing on the surface, his inner thoughts were nothing but astonishment.
‘No way… a one-on-one with the General Manager.’
Mark gazed at my face, overwhelmed by a peculiar emotion.
Envy, and a distant admiration.
Just a few months ago, he had been my peer, grinding through the same dust at the Baseball Tryout and Low-A.
But now, it seemed I was breathing a different air than they were.
To have sat across from the General Manager at the negotiation table directly.
‘That meant I had come within reach of the dream stage that is the Major League.’
If this treatment had been afforded to another player, Mark would have lost sleep to jealousy.
But because it was me.
And given Mark’s inherently good nature, that emotion quickly transformed into genuine joy.
‘You’re really incredible. I always knew you’d make it.’
While Mark was sending me a gaze of pure admiration.
Casey’s inner thoughts, standing beside him, were far more intricately tangled.
“So? How was the General Manager’s office?”
Casey asked with crossed arms, his tone deliberately indifferent.
He was clearly sulking.
In truth, there were legitimate reasons for it.
Casey was a first-round draft pick, the pride of the Dodgers.
A prodigy who had signed with astronomical contract terms exceeding a billion won upon joining the organization.
He had lived believing that all the spotlight naturally belonged to him.
Yet even Casey, a genius, had never once faced General Manager Brandon directly.
When he had signed with the Dodgers as a first-rounder, the General Manager hadn’t even shown his face.
But I was receiving premium treatment that even he had never experienced.
It was naturally the kind of situation that would wound his pride and kindle jealousy.
However, Casey’s meager jealousy couldn’t last even three seconds.
When judged rationally, he had no choice but to acknowledge it.
‘No, honestly… it was worth it.’
Memories from the Arizona Fall League flickered through Casey’s mind.
In that place where prospects called monsters from across the United States swarmed.
I had held those monsters’ leashes and shaken them.
No matter how fast the fastball was thrown, no matter how sharp the breaking ball was placed, none of them could evade my bat.
‘Our Desert Dogs team itself… it was like a single gear that only worked perfectly when centered around me, when I was there.’
That overwhelming performance and problem-solving instinct.
Casey himself had witnessed it all from the closest vantage point.
‘Of course the General Manager himself would step forward after I knocked down all those big shots.’
True genius recognizes true genius.
Casey cleanly acknowledged that my talent and accomplishments thus far more than justified all this special treatment.
Of course, the prideful Casey wouldn’t actually voice his acknowledgment of me.
“Your expression says you signed well. Did you squeeze them for money?”
Contrary to his true feelings, Casey maintained his characteristic clipped, staccato manner of speaking.
I found their reactions rather comforting.
It would have hurt if they’d been obsequious or distant.
“I got something better than money.”
Even as I spoke, my mind was churning with complexity.
To be precise, it was a problem I’d been wrestling with since before coming down to the lobby.
Should I hide it? Or should I be honest?
About making the Dodgers’ 40-Man Roster.
Because it meant my standing and treatment from the organization had become unmistakably higher than Mark’s or Casey’s.
‘No matter how close my teammates are….’
Or perhaps because they were close teammates, their achievements could cut deeper, bringing relative deprivation or hurt.
I was cautious about potentially wounding their pride.
But I soon dismissed my hesitation.
“I made the 40-Man Roster.”
The confession came remarkably matter-of-factly.
In the end, there was a clear reason for laying everything bare honestly.
The first reason was that this place is the Professional Baseball World in its purest form.
For professionals, the greatest driving force is witnessing the growth of an exceptional teammate beside you.
That was true for me as well.
When I first stepped onto the American stage, I admired Mark’s overwhelming power and Casey’s genius-level talent.
I felt envious, gritted my teeth, and swung the bat harder.
That fierce desire to surpass them was what had carried me this far.
So I believed my achievement would become an excellent stimulus and motivation for both of them as well.
‘We’ll need to keep chasing each other’s backs going forward.’
That’s the only way to become a Major Leaguer.
And the second reason.
Perhaps this was the most important one.
‘With these two….’
I was certain they would never resent or hate me, but would celebrate with all their hearts.
Only forty out of thousands of minor leaguers.
And more than that—the Dodgers’ forty.
An achievement so tremendous that even hanging banners across my hometown and broadcasting it everywhere wouldn’t be excessive.
The two people standing right before me would be the first to genuinely rejoice for me.
In the unfamiliar battlefield of the Arizona Fall League, I was able to perform at my best because I trusted Mark and Casey so firmly.
‘It was all thanks to the blind faith and bond you two gave me.’
Given that bond between us, approaching with perfect honesty was unquestionably the right choice—far better than hiding the truth behind hollow consideration.
The moment the words left my lips, silence settled over the Lobby.
Casey was the first to react.
His mouth hung open, and his eyes gleamed with excitement.
“What? The 40-Man Roster? The one that gets you called up to the Major League right now?”
Mark’s eyes widened as well, and he grabbed my shoulder eagerly.
“Soo-ho! My God, is it really true? You actually made it to the big leagues? Congratulations.”
I shook my head.
“No. I’m not in the Major League yet. I’m still in the minors.”
“But still… the 40-Man Roster means you’re really close to the Major League! Man! Wow! This is insane! Absolutely crazy!”
Mark seemed genuinely astonished.
At their heartfelt congratulations, I broke into a pure, radiant smile.
“It’s all thanks to you two. I really mean that.”
Mark then tapped my shoulder.
“Just wait a bit. I’ll be joining you soon.”
Casey added his own words.
“Don’t get cocky just because you made the 40-Man Roster. I might take your spot—though honestly, I’d rather take someone else’s.”
Casey was right.
Making the 40-Man Roster meant the organization had classified me as a prospect they could call up to the Major League at any time.
But.
If I failed to perform, I’d be cut.
If someone was deemed better, I’d be pushed out without hesitation.
The number forty wasn’t a safety net—it was a battlefield.
That’s why Mark and Casey wanted me to hold onto that position at all costs.
That’s why they’d instilled this sense of urgency in me.
And I understood their gratitude.
“Yeah. I’ll hold on. You two get up here soon too.”
All three of us nodded simultaneously.
Double-A. And Spring Training.
This meant Mark and Casey were also drawing closer to the 40-Man Roster.
But precisely because of that, the real battle was just beginning.
Our ultimate goal was the Major League.
All three of us were burning with determination for that shared dream.
But that aside…
“Still, today’s a good day for all of us. I’m willing to treat you guys to something delicious. Want to grab some food?”
At my suggestion, Mark furrowed his brow.
His expression asked why I was stating something so obvious so grandly.
“Hey. If you made the 40-Man Roster, shouldn’t you be buying the most expensive food in Los Angeles today? You’ll be making that kind of money anyway.”
Casey chimed in as well.
“I usually don’t agree with this guy, but this time I have to admit he’s right.”
Mark shook his head slowly.
“What a character.”
* * *
Despite his boastful declaration about eating the most expensive food, the place they arrived at was rather modest.
A famous hamburger franchise in Downtown Los Angeles.
The table overflowed with mountainous stacks of french fries and double-patty burgers oozing with melted cheese.
“When I suggested going somewhere expensive… everyone loves steak anyway.”
Mark paid little attention to Soo-ho’s jab.
He mumbled a response while munching on french fries generously dipped in ketchup.
“It’s fine. We already had steak in Arizona, didn’t we? I can only truly unwind at the start of the off-season with greasy food like this.”
Casey also nodded in agreement while chugging his cola in one go.
“This time too… agreed.”
But the two of them harbored different true intentions.
It was natural to assume that Soo-ho’s entry into the 40-Man Roster guaranteed him a salary in the hundreds of millions.
However, a baseball player’s salary doesn’t translate into a lump sum deposited into their account the moment they sign the contract.
No money comes during the off-season.
The system distributes payments in weekly or monthly installments over the six months of the regular season after the next season opens.
In other words, Soo-ho was only wealthy on paper.
Mark and Casey had already sensed that his current financial situation wasn’t much different from his Low-A days.
Of course, Soo-ho had received substantial signing bonuses from Korea.
And they knew that money was still in his possession.
But that was money Soo-ho had earned entirely on his own.
They held that money dear as well.
That’s why they made excuses—to spare Soo-ho’s wallet.
Soo-ho understood their true meaning and didn’t insist further, happily biting into his hamburger.
As the burger was halfway gone, Mark wiped his mouth with a napkin and asked.
“By the way, Soo-ho. How are you planning to spend this winter?”
This was his first off-season on the American stage.
The organization’s systematic training support typically begins with Spring Training in mid-February.
In other words, the roughly three months from now until February represented a solitary period where each player had to build their body entirely on their own.
“I’m thinking of returning to my alma mater.”
Mark revealed his plan first.
“I’ll go back to High School and train again. I’ll visit my coach too.”
The reason was simple.
Mark was an elite power hitter who had won MVP at the High School Invitational, the nation’s premier high school baseball tournament, hitting home runs left and right with flair.
He planned to rebuild his body in that place where he had shone most brilliantly and overflowed with confidence, drawing out the explosive power he had lost.
Above all, witnessing Soo-ho’s entry into the 40-Man Roster had ignited an enormous spark within Mark’s chest.
Soo-ho’s existence had awakened him.
“I feel the same way.”
Casey picked up the remaining french fries and spoke.
“I’m going to train at my agent’s training facility.”
Casey currently belonged to a mega-tier sports agency that wielded immense influence over Major League Baseball.
In fact, on the American stage, elite prospects and Major Leaguers often built their bodies during the off-season at cutting-edge private training facilities operated by their agents.
Lab equipment and biomechanics technology rivaling those of any baseball club.
And with dedicated trainers providing comprehensive oversight, they received flawless management.
Casey, too, was determined to push himself to the bone to avoid falling behind Soo-ho at that facility.
It was Soo-ho who had driven even the so-called genius Casey to voluntarily commit to hellish training.
Just then, Mark suddenly remembered something and asked Soo-ho.
“By the way, why didn’t you bring an agent to this negotiation? Usually agents fight for you during contract talks.”
Casey answered calmly while finishing his cola.
“It’s pointless right now given my status. Agents only have leverage once I become a Major Leaguer and complete three full years to qualify for salary arbitration, or become a free agent entirely.”
Reality is merciless.
Except when receiving the initial signing bonus as an amateur, an agent’s negotiating power is essentially zero at this point.
Not until a player fulfills his years of service according to Major League’s collective bargaining agreement.
Because players cannot escape the minimum salary regulations and split contracts—where compensation varies depending on Major League or Minor League assignment—set by the club.
Therefore, the club held absolute power.
Bringing an agent changes nothing; all that happens is signing whatever terms the club presents.
“I see. You’re right—the club sets the price. Anyway, what about you, Soo-ho?”
Soo-ho rested his chin in his hand with a serious expression, then broke into his characteristic smile.
In fact, hadn’t he been given the task of building muscle while maintaining flexibility and speed through January?
This aspect meant he couldn’t train alongside Mark.
Or Casey, for that matter.
That’s why Soo-ho said,
“I’m going to build muscle until January, then meet up with Alex and continue training from there.”
The moment those words left his lips,
all three rose from their seats in perfect synchronization, as if choreographed.
“Then we’ll say goodbye for three months. Let’s see each other again, all of us far stronger than we are now.”
And so their first winter on the American stage began.
Each of them would endure bone-grinding training, and in three months, they would return transformed into monsters of unimaginable power.
February was coming.
Spring Training for Major League Baseball, unfolding beneath Arizona’s scorching sun.
All eyes would be on the three of them and how much they had grown.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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