Hyeseong Kim signed a three-year, $12.5 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers during the offseason after spending the previous eight years in the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO).
Kim played six seasons with the Kiwoom Heroes and won three KBO Fielding Awards from 2021-2023 while appearing at four different positions.
In addition to his strong glove, Kim is known for his elite bat-to-ball skills. He hit .326 with the Heroes last year and posted a career .304 batting average during his time in South Korea.
Through three Cactus League games with the Dodgers, Kim has reached base safely three times in eight plate appearances. “He looks good, looks comfortable,” manager Dave Roberts said of Kim.
“He’s working on some things with his swing, I think he’s getting more comfortable with some mechanical changes. The speed of the game, I think he’ll catch up to. Obviously, he’s worked on his physicality. He looks strong.”
Kim is expected to receive the majority of his opportunities at second base this season, but the Dodgers will play him all around the field in Spring Training to increase his versatility.
“He’s played some left field, but the way he can run, I just think it makes more sense for him to be in the middle of the diamond,” Roberts said.
“He’s really open to playing anywhere we ask. Just talking to Dino, he’s been out there a couple days already in the outfield, and moves really well. It should be pretty seamless.”
Dodgers see benefit of Hyeseong Kim playing multiple positions
While Kim might eventually settle in at second base, the Dodgers value having him move around to different positions during Spring Training.
“I think the hope is obviously just to kind of see what he can do offensively, and then I think we’ve got a lot of different options,” Roberts began.
“We know that he can play second base. Obviously, with James and Andy competing out there in center field, obviously Tommy can play center field, but just to have another left-handed option that can play center field, certainly there’s not a lot of downside to it.
“And obviously getting him some repetitions at short, I think the floor is we know he can play second base but if we can have the experiment and see his comfort level in other spots.”
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