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 official 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 profitable supply within the nick of time. Along with Kim’s wage, the Dodgers should pay a $2.5MM launch price to the Heroes (20% of the assured $12.5MM on his deal). Their whole funding is $15MM.
Kim, quickly to be 26, is a four-time consecutive winner of the KBO Golden Glove Award, given yearly to the most effective total participant at every place. He received the award at shortstop in 2021 earlier than transferring to second base and profitable annually from 2022-24. Along with enjoying a robust second base and at the 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 least 20 luggage 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 in opposition to 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 beneath 118 in any season. Nevertheless, 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 most effective of his profession power-wise – he reached double-digit house runs for the primary time – however his .132 remoted energy was nonetheless beneath league common. Thus, it’s truthful to fret that Kim won’t have the mandatory energy to be an on a regular basis participant in MLB. Simply take a look at his former KBO teammate Ha-Seong Kim. Ha-Seong Kim was a real energy risk within the KBO, socking 30 homers in 138 video games throughout his ultimate season in Korea. Since coming to MLB, he has turn out to be often called a soft-hitting contact specialist. His profession .137 ISO in MLB is 15% worse than the league common during the last 4 years.
When MLBTR ranked Hyseong Kim at no. 26 on our Prime 50 Free Brokers record, we predicted he’d signal a three-year, $24MM contract. His precise deal ensures him somewhat greater than half of that predicted wage. That mentioned, it’s value mentioning that Kim reportedly turned down more cash from at the least one different staff. A consultant from Kim’s company, CAA Baseball, informed a Korean media outlet (handed alongside by Jeeho Yoo of Yonhap Information) that the Angels supplied him a five-year, $28MM deal, whereas the Mariners, Cubs, and Padres additionally made presents with undisclosed phrases. Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register contradicts that report. In accordance with Fletcher, the Angels made a suggestion to Kim however didn’t high 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 recent nook. Moreover, they’ve the gifted defensive shortstop Miguel Rojas and the versatile Chris Taylor on the bench. Heart fielder Tommy Edman may also play throughout the infield.
In accordance with Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic, Kim will play a “super-utility function” in 2025. Using 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 subject through the 2020 season, and it will likely be fascinating to see if the Dodgers think about using him within the outfield in any respect. As a “super-utility” participant, Kim will presumably have an even bigger function than that of a typical bench bat, however with a lot competitors on the Dodgers’ talent-filled roster, he’ll must 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 adaptability. 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 in opposition to the Korean nationwide staff final March, Roberts informed reporters (together with Yoo), “Our scouts just like the second baseman: simply the way in which his physique strikes.” That second baseman, after all, was Kim.
Varied experiences out of South Korea had been first with the information that Kim was signing with Los Angeles on a three-year cope with 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.
