With hours left to go earlier than his posting window closes, Hyeseong Kim and the Dodgers signed a three-year contract value $12.5MM. The deal features a two-year membership choice (which might should be exercised collectively) protecting the 2028-29 seasons. If the Dodgers train the choice, they’d pay a further $9.5MM over these two years. Los Angeles designated catcher Diego Cartaya for project to open a 40-man roster spot. Kim is represented by CAA Sports activities.
Kim’s former staff, the Kiwoom Heroes, formally posted him on December 5, giving him till 4:00 PM CT this afternoon to signal with an MLB membership. As the times ticked by and the rumor mill remained comparatively quiet, it appeared like a professional chance that Kim would return for yet another season with the Heroes. As a substitute, the Dodgers, who hadn’t been carefully linked to Kim this winter, swooped in and made a successful supply within the nick of time. Along with Kim’s wage, the Dodgers must pay a $2.5MM launch price to the Heroes (20% of the assured $12.5MM on his deal). Their complete funding is $15MM.
Kim, quickly to be 26, is a four-time consecutive winner of the KBO Golden Glove Award, given yearly to the perfect general participant at every place. He gained the award at shortstop in 2021 earlier than shifting to second base and successful annually from 2022-24. Along with enjoying a robust second base and at the very least a succesful shortstop, Kim can be an asset on the basepaths. He led the KBO in stolen bases in 2021 and has swiped at the very least 20 baggage in all seven full seasons of his profession. His glove and legs ought to give him a comparatively excessive flooring as a utility participant in MLB, if nothing extra.
The massive query is how Kim’s bat will maintain up towards MLB pitching. Whereas he struggled on the plate early in his profession, the lefty batter blossomed right into a well-above-average hitter throughout his final three years within the KBO. From 2022-24, he produced a .326 batting common and a .384 OBP, whereas his wRC+ was by no means under 118 in any season. Nonetheless, Kim has by no means hit for a lot energy, even by the marginally decrease energy requirements of the KBO. His 2024 season was the perfect of his profession power-wise – he reached double-digit dwelling runs for the primary time – however his .132 remoted energy was nonetheless under league common. Thus, it’s honest to fret that Kim won’t have the required energy to be an on a regular basis participant in MLB. Simply have a look at his former KBO teammate Ha-Seong Kim. Ha-Seong Kim was a real energy menace within the KBO, socking 30 homers in 138 video games throughout his last season in Korea. Since coming to MLB, he has develop into referred to as a soft-hitting contact specialist. His profession .137 ISO in MLB is 15% worse than the league common over the past 4 years.
When MLBTR ranked Hyseong Kim at no. 26 on our High 50 Free Brokers listing, we predicted he’d signal a three-year, $24MM contract. His precise deal ensures him just a little greater than half of that predicted wage. That mentioned, it’s value mentioning that Kim reportedly turned down extra money from at the very least one different staff. A consultant from Kim’s company, CAA Baseball, advised a Korean media outlet (handed alongside by Jeeho Yoo of Yonhap Information) that the Angels provided him a five-year, $28MM deal, whereas the Mariners, Cubs, and Padres additionally made provides with undisclosed phrases. Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register contradicts that report. In accordance with Fletcher, the Angels made a proposal to Kim however didn’t prime what he obtained from the Dodgers.
To that time, Kim won’t have a assured beginning function in L.A. The Dodgers have already got Gavin Lux to play second base, Mookie Betts at shortstop, and Max Muncy holding down the new nook. Moreover, they’ve the proficient defensive shortstop Miguel Rojas and the versatile Chris Taylor on the bench. Middle fielder Tommy Edman can even play throughout the infield.
In accordance with Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic, Kim will play a “super-utility function” in 2025. The usage of the prefix “tremendous” appears to indicate that he’ll be enjoying a number of positions. Whereas he has vital expertise at each shortstop and second base, he has solely performed a handful of video games at third base in his skilled profession. He additionally performed 44 video games in left discipline through the 2020 season, and it is going to be attention-grabbing to see if the Dodgers think about using him within the outfield in any respect. As a “super-utility” participant, Kim will presumably have a much bigger function than that of a typical bench bat, however with a lot competitors on the Dodgers’ talent-filled roster, he’ll should earn his enjoying time.
The truth that the Dodgers signed Kim regardless of already having so many infielders is proof of how a lot this staff values depth and suppleness. It’s additionally an indication of how a lot they worth what Kim can carry to the desk. Funnily sufficient, supervisor Dave Roberts has already made his staff’s affinity for Kim fairly clear. After the Dodgers performed an exhibition match towards the Korean nationwide staff final March, Roberts advised reporters (together with Yoo), “Our scouts just like the second baseman: simply the best way his physique strikes.” That second baseman, in fact, was Kim.
Numerous stories out of South Korea had been first with the information that Kim was signing with Los Angeles on a three-year take care of a two-year membership choice. Jon Heyman of the New York Put up was first to report the $12.5MM assure and the $22MM most worth.
