The San Diego Padres missed out on signing Korean free-agent infielder Hyeseong Kim, who reportedly agreed to a three-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday, according to multiple reports.
The Padres were among several MLB teams pursuing the 25-year-old. Along with San Diego, the Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels, Chicago Cubs, and Seattle Mariners were also reportedly interested in signing Kim.
Kim has spent eight seasons in the KBO, where he posted a career slash line of .304/.364/.403. Over his career, he tallied 37 home runs, 386 RBIs, 150 doubles, and 39 triples.
A three-time Gold Glove winner, Kim has demonstrated exceptional defensive versatility, earning awards at multiple positions. He was recognized as the league’s top shortstop in 2021 before winning back-to-back Gold Gloves as a second baseman in 2022 and 2023. While he primarily plays second base, Kim has also appeared at shortstop, third base, and even in left and right field throughout his KBO career.
Kim’s speed on the basepaths is another standout attribute. Since 2018, he has stolen at least 20 bases in every season, with a career-high of 46 in 2021.
Kim was posted to MLB on December 4 by the Kiwoom Heroes, his team for the past six seasons. The Heroes have a history of posting players to the Majors, including shortstop Ha-Seong Kim, who joined the Padres in 2020 and has spent the last four seasons in San Diego.
The Padres are operating under tighter budget constraints this offseason compared to teams like the Dodgers. While missing out on Kim is a setback, it could heighten their efforts to land Japanese free-agent pitcher Roki Sasaki.
Like Kim, Sasaki has drawn interest from several MLB teams for his rookie season, with the Padres and Dodgers emerging as frontrunners. San Diego’s smaller market size may give it an edge in the competition for Sasaki.
The Padres have yet to make significant moves this offseason, but there is still ample time to strengthen their roster.
Leave a Reply