Song has been ordered to report to flight school at Naval Air Station Pensacola no later than June 26. That decision, issued by the Department of Defense, puts Song’s dream of playing professional baseball for the Boston Red Sox on hold for at least a year, if not longer.
In a letter sent to Song, a United States Navy official emphasized that becoming an aviator entails a six-year service commitment upon completing flight school and obtaining wings.
Song graduated from the Naval Academy and was commissioned as a naval flight officer on May 24, 2019. The right-handed pitcher was then selected by the Red Sox in the fourth round of the 2019 Major League Baseball Draft on June 4.