With hours left to go earlier than his posting window closes, Hyeseong Kim and the Dodgers are reportedly in settlement on a three-year deal. The information was initially reported by Korean media retailers (h/t to Daniel Kim) and confirmed by Francys Romero. Jon Heyman of the New York Post was the primary to report the contract’s monetary phrases. Kim will make a assured $12.5M from 2025-27. After the 2027 season, the Dodgers can train a two-year staff choice to pay him an extra $9.5M from 2027-28.
Kim’s former staff, the Kiwoom Heroes, formally posted him on Dec. 5, giving him till 4 p.m. CT Friday to signal with an MLB membership. As the times ticked by and the rumor mill remained comparatively quiet, it appeared like a reliable risk that Kim would return for 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 provide within the nick of time. Along with Kim’s wage, the Dodgers should pay the Heroes a $2.5M launch charge (20% of the assured $12.5M on his deal).
Kim, quickly to be 26, is a four-time consecutive KBO Golden Glove Award winner, given yearly to the perfect total participant at every place. He received the award at shortstop in 2021 earlier than shifting to second base and successful every year from 2022-24. Along with taking part in a robust second base and a minimum of a succesful shortstop, Kim can be an asset on the basepaths. He led the KBO in stolen bases in 2021 and has swiped a minimum of 20 baggage in all seven seasons of his profession. His glove and legs ought to give him a comparatively excessive flooring as a utility participant in MLB if nothing else.
The large 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 perfect 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 honest to fret that Kim may not have the required 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 remaining season in Korea. Since coming to MLB, he has develop into often known 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 Top 50 Free Agents listing, we predicted he’d signal a three-year, $24M contract. His precise deal ensures him little greater than half of that predicted wage. That stated, it’s value mentioning that Kim reportedly turned down extra money from a minimum of one different staff. A consultant from Kim’s company, CAA Baseball, advised a Korean media outlet (handed alongside by Jeeho Yoo of Yonhap News) that the Angels supplied him a five-year, $28M deal, whereas the Mariners, Cubs, and Padres additionally made affords with undisclosed phrases. That means Kim was intent on becoming a member of the Dodgers, even when he might have earned extra money, years, and probably extra taking part in time elsewhere.
To that time, Kim may not 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 proficient defensive shortstop Miguel Rojas and the versatile Chris Taylor on the bench. Middle fielder Tommy Edman may play throughout the infield.
In keeping with Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic, Kim will play a “super-utility function” in 2025. The prefix “tremendous” appears to indicate that he’ll be taking part in a number of positions. Whereas he has vital expertise at 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 in the course of the 2020 season, and will probably 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 a much bigger function than a typical bench bat, however with a lot competitors on the Dodgers’ talent-filled roster, he’ll should earn his taking part in time.
The truth that the Dodgers signed Kim regardless of already having so many infielders proves how a lot this staff values depth and suppleness. It’s additionally an indication of how a lot they worth what Kim can convey to the desk. Funnily sufficient, supervisor Dave Roberts has already clarified his staff’s affinity for Kim. After the Dodgers performed an exhibition match in opposition to the Korean nationwide staff final March, Roberts advised reporters (together with Yoo), “Our scouts just like the second baseman: simply the way in which his physique strikes.” That second baseman, in fact, was Kim.
