The Genius Hitter Who Conquered America - Chapter 86

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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 86
The evening of the day the Home Run Derby concluded.
From the top-floor office with a view overlooking the blue ground of Dodger Stadium through the window.
On the antique mahogany desk sat a championship ring engraved with “World Series Champions.”
The display shelves along the walls were adorned with trophies from past championships, their imposing presence commanding attention.
Within that overwhelming backdrop sat the master of this space—a single man.
A middle-aged gentleman with silver hair swept back without a single strand out of place.
Dressed in a bespoke Italian suit of the finest quality, he stared intently at the tablet PC resting on his desk through thin gold-rimmed glasses perched on the bridge of his nose.
The screen displayed an endless stream of sensational article headlines about a single player.
-[The Brilliant Resurrection of a Fallen Genius.]
-[How Did the LA Dodgers Discover This Gem?]
The man stroked his cleanly shaven chin and slowly nodded.
A subtle smile played at the corners of his mouth—the expression of a predator who had spotted its prey, tinged with intrigue.
“Hmm.”
Moments later, he picked up the receiver of the intercom on his desk.
“Sarah and Tim. Come to my office right now.”
-Understood, sir.
Not long after the brief call ended, the heavy oak door to the office swung open.
Two people—a man and a woman—entered with quick strides.
One was a woman in her thirties with sharp eyes and a sharp suit—Sarah Jenkins, the Marketing Team Manager.
The other was a man in his fifties with bronzed skin, a baseball cap pressed down on his head, and deep wrinkles etched across his face—Scout Team Manager Tim Miller.
The executive responsible for bringing money into the organization, and the executive responsible for the organization’s future talent.
They were the key personnel who moved the massive vessel that was the Dodgers.
They stood side by side before the desk and bowed respectfully.
“You called for us, General Manager?”
Only then did the man remove his glasses and place them slowly on the desk.
Sharp gray eyes gleamed toward the two of them.
General Manager of the LA Dodgers.
Brandon Hills, the General Manager himself.
Without a word, he gestured with his chin toward the tablet screen on the desk.
“Tim, I remember seeing this kid in the corner of the weekly report you submitted last month.”
“Yes, sir. Oh Soo-ho. He’s with Low-A, and Farm Director Kevin is absolutely enamored with him.”
In fact, it was only natural that the name Oh Soo-ho was unfamiliar to General Manager Brandon.
It wasn’t because he was incompetent.
Rather, it was because he was terribly busy.
The position of General Manager for a Major League Baseball team is like a commander on a battlefield.
Current season performance, 40-Man Roster management, understanding the trade market, and FA contracts involving astronomical sums.
His head was already spinning just handling matters that directly affected money and wins or losses by the second.
For someone like him, the Minor League Baseball.
Especially a Low-A player at the very bottom was outside his purview.
Of course, there were exceptions.
If a prospect like Casey—someone the organization had signed to a multi-million dollar contract—was involved, the situation would be entirely different.
As the organization’s asset and future cornerstone, he would require direct oversight. But I wasn’t that prospect.
‘Kevin’s low-cost, high-efficiency pick.’
That was all I amounted to.
The Farm Director Kevin would develop me on his own, or so they’d assumed.
Just one line among the countless reports that reached the executive office.
I was viewed either as someone who might eventually explode and become a major league asset, or as a trade chip to throw in when acquiring another team’s ace pitcher.
There was no rush to judge—they could always assess me after I’d fully developed.
But then.
“I thought he was just another ordinary prospect.”
Brandon muttered to himself.
The situation had shifted dramatically.
I’d transcended the level of a prospect who simply hit and threw well.
The entire United States was abuzz with excitement about me.
And I possessed a dramatic narrative to match—a genius reborn.
Now was the moment when the commander himself needed to take a closer look.
As of now, I had surpassed the level of being discussed only among Minor League personnel like Kevin.
I had finally become a main agenda item on the table of the Major League’s decision-makers.
Brandon’s gaze shifted toward Sarah, the marketing team manager.
“Sarah. From a marketing perspective, what’s your take? No sugar-coating—be honest with me.”
Sarah pulled a tablet from her bag and scrolled through the data, speaking in an utterly professional and dry tone.
“To be frank, his current value is negligible. Compared to our Dodgers’ marquee stars, he’s dust. He’s merely a fleeting sensation from a Minor League event—not even during the regular season.”
She was precise.
The Dodgers were among the world’s most profitable organizations.
In a place already brimming with established superstars, the value of a Minor Leaguer who’d just begun to gain recognition was still in its infancy.
But Sarah’s assessment didn’t end there.
Her finger swiped across the tablet screen.
“However… if we calculate his future value under the assumption that he gets called up to the Major League, the story changes completely.”
“Go on.”
“I analyzed historical data—specifically, the economic ripple effects generated when Korean players step into the Big League.”
As Sarah displayed the screen, a sharply ascending line graph unfolded before Brandon’s eyes.
“Korea is a unique market. When a domestic player advances to the Major League, the entire nation transforms into a massive fanbase supporting that player. Their performance doesn’t need to be MVP-caliber. Just a starting pitcher in the rotation or a position player in the lineup—performing at an average level generates economic returns beyond imagination for the organization.”
She continued with unwavering confidence, as if unveiling a treasure map.
“Korean conglomerate sponsorships, renegotiated broadcasting rights, merchandise sales revenue—certainly, the absolute figures would fall short compared to American superstars, but when we calculate return on investment…”
Sarah adjusted her glasses and delivered her conclusion.
“We’re looking at dramatically superior cost-effectiveness compared to an ordinary American Major Leaguer of similar skill. In short, he has the potential to become a walking corporation.”
Despite Sarah’s passionate presentation, Brandon’s expression remained unmoved.
There was no reason to be surprised.
The Dodgers already had players whose mere existence sustained entire corporations.
Literally, there were walking conglomerates everywhere.
The potential of the Korean market that Sarah mentioned was, from the Dodgers’ perspective, not a main course but rather an appetizing side dish.
However, it was true that as a side dish, it was quite tempting.
To operate a big market while bearing the massive payroll like the Dodgers, money was always welcome in abundance.
‘Of course, that’s only if I perform at an ordinary level.’
If Soo-ho were to become a monster who bombed all the way to the Major League, then the story would be different.
Originally, team management always calculated conservatively.
They had to minimize risk.
Brandon turned his gaze and asked Tim, the Scout Team Manager.
“I understand the marketability. But what about his skill? What’s your assessment?”
Tim pondered for a moment before speaking coldly.
It was an evaluation he staked his pride on as Scout Team Manager.
“If you ask whether he’s Major League starter material at this point, absolutely not. There are still considerable areas that need refinement.”
It was a firm assessment.
Naturally, his standard was the Major League, and among them, the Dodgers, who were regarded as the strongest.
Yet Tim’s eyes did not die.
Rather, they burned hotly like a miner who had discovered raw ore.
“However, when you break down each tool he possesses, the story changes. His contact ability is becoming more refined with each passing day, and in this Arizona Fall League, he’s proven his potential for power hitting. And his speed… it’s top-tier even if you call him up to the Major League right now, and his defensive instincts are also above average.”
And his arm…
“There’s no need to explain.”
Brandon cut him off.
“A guy who comes out as a batting practice pitcher and throws 87 miles mechanically—his throwing ability speaks for itself.”
A faint smile spread across Brandon’s lips.
Accuracy, power, speed, defense, and arm strength.
The five tools a baseball player can possess.
A 5-Tool Player.
The most perfect and ideal raw gem that Major League scouts desperately search for.
Such a player is absolutely off-limits for release.
Even if he were to rot away in the Minor League, he must never be given to another team.
Because if his potential blooms, he could become a lottery ticket capable of dominating the league.
“I’ve heard the report well. You two can go back to work. From now on, submit a report on this player to my desk every week.”
At Brandon’s dismissal, the two men bowed once more and left the room.
The heavy door closed, and in the office where heavy silence descended again, he picked up his fountain pen.
And he casually wrote a few words in the corner of the notepad on his desk.
[Fall Star MVP = 40-man Roster?]
It was merely a short scribble with a question mark.
Nothing was confirmed yet.
But the fact that the general manager of the mighty Los Angeles Dodgers was even considering entry into the 40-Man Roster, the first gate to Major League call-up, for a mere Low-A player.
By that fact alone, Soo-ho’s value had already transcended imagination compared to when he first came to the United States.
* * *
The next morning.
The day of the All-Star Game had finally arrived.
After finishing his usual early morning run and wiping the sweat from his brow, Soo-ho pushed open the dormitory door—only to freeze in his tracks.
The air inside the room felt unnaturally heavy.
It was the kind of oppressive atmosphere you’d find at a funeral.
At the center of that weight sat Mark on the sofa, staring holes into the floor.
How could the same guy who’d been bouncing around yesterday, ecstatic after winning the home run derby, suddenly look like this?
“What… what’s wrong?”
Soo-ho asked cautiously, and Mark slowly lifted his head.
His eyes weren’t wet, but his expression was that of a child who’d suffered the greatest injustice in the world.
He heaved a sigh so deep it seemed to shake the earth, then suddenly let out a sharp cry.
“Why am I not the star! Damn it!”
Then he glared at Soo-ho.
Though there was more playfulness and jealousy mixed in than genuine malice.
“You stole all my spotlight! I was the one holding the championship trophy! Why is everyone talking about you!”
“…Huh?”
Soo-ho was bewildered. What on earth was he talking about?
Standing there dumbfounded, Casey shook his head in exasperation and tossed him a towel.
“Go shower first. You reek of sweat. I’ll explain when you get back.”
A short while later.
After a refreshing shower, Soo-ho found a tablet PC thrust directly into his face.
“Look at this. See what you’ve done.”
Casey began scrolling through the screen, explaining.
“This morning’s LA Times sports section, bottom of page one. And here—Arizona Republic’s online homepage.”
Two massive media outlets: one representing the American West, the other the largest daily newspaper in Arizona.
Soo-ho’s face was plastered across both.
[The True Cinderella of the Home Run Derby—Who is Oh Soo-ho?]
[The Mystery Guy from Korea Steals Fans’ Hearts.]
Casey continued his explanation.
“And that’s not even the half of it. Online communities and social media are going absolutely crazy.”
Casey tapped the tablet and opened the YouTube app.
Soo-ho’s name appeared in the trending search rankings.
Most prominent were videos of his pitching from his high school days in Korea.
The quality was grainy at 480p, but the view counts were staggering.
“Each video has around 100,000 views. And that’s despite the Arizona Fall League not being Major League Baseball, so interest should be lower. If you add up all the related videos… we’re easily looking at 2 million views total.”
Soo-ho’s eyes went wide.
All of this had happened overnight.
He’d gone to sleep and woken up a star.
Mark still had his mouth hanging open, pointing at the screen and grumbling.
“The comments are hilarious too. People saying your pitching form is sexy, that you look like a nerd but pitch like a beast on the mound. Oh, and this one—”
Mark pointed directly at one specific video.
It showed a youthful Soo-ho from high school days, covered in dirt after winning a match, laughing brightly alongside his teammates.
“You were pretty cute back then, Soo-ho? I think fans are even more crazy about you because of that charm. Damn, I’m confident in my cuteness too!”
Mark grumbled while genuinely delighted, patting Soo-ho’s wet back enthusiastically.
“Congratulations, friend. At this level, you’re hitting middle-tier popularity across the entire Minor League.”
Middle-tier.
The weight of those words was far from trivial.
The bottom rung of the American Baseball system.
Thousands of registered players spanned from the Rookie League to Triple-A.
Just three weeks ago, my recognition was at the absolute bottom of the lower tier.
Nothing more than an anonymous Oriental player number one.
Yet in merely three weeks since arriving at the Arizona Fall League.
I’d surpassed countless prospects and etched my name into the public consciousness.
This pace was impossible through skill alone.
It was the perfect convergence of the stage Ji-su had laid out and the impact I’d displayed yesterday.
“Now that you’ve become a celebrity, you’ll have to earn your keep in today’s game, right?”
Casey’s lips curved with meaningful intent.
It wasn’t mere encouragement.
Please perform at your absolute peak.
It was both pressure and a plea to face the All-Star Game in optimal condition.
Mark felt the same way.
His eyes gleamed with competitive fire.
“Yesterday it was taken from me, but today I won’t let it slip away.”
The three of us shared one goal: MVP.
Those who’d endured hardship together under one roof had to fight over that position.
Yet ironically, both desperately hoped I’d perform at my absolute best.
Even though they could win more easily if I was out of condition.
The reason was simple.
They already recognized my ability.
From Low-A until now, I’d continuously improved and demonstrated my finest form.
And there was one other reason.
Star power.
In professional sports, the attention of spectators and scouts is a limited resource.
Right now, that precious gaze was entirely focused on the blazing icon that was Oh Soo-ho.
Defeating an unknown player nobody recognized wouldn’t even register.
But if they stepped over me to rise?
If they crushed through sheer skill the world’s current protagonist at his most luminous moment?
That spotlight would become entirely theirs.
There was no faster path to skyrocket one’s value than using a high-profile opponent as a stepping stone.
In other words, I was now their greatest rival and.
At the same time, they represented the most expensive trophy I had to overcome to make my name known to the world.
The Professional Baseball World could be ruthlessly cruel.
But.
‘I’m grateful.’
I felt a sense of satisfaction welling up inside me.
A quiet chuckle escaped my lips.
‘These geniuses are burning with determination to climb over me.’
Wasn’t that proof they acknowledged my worth?
‘Today won’t be easy, that’s for sure….’
Could I actually defeat these geniuses?
I didn’t know.
If I claimed to have confidence, that would be a lie.
No one understood and respected these two’s abilities better than I did.
‘But I still have to surpass them.’
It wasn’t simply about winning.
I had to transcend this through honorable competition—proving my abilities rather than tearing down my opponents.
Only then could I pursue my newly redefined dream.
Only then could I draw one step closer to the stage of my dream: the Major League.
The prelude to that war was about to begin.

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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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