The Los Angeles Dodgers made notable roster decisions in the lead up to the 2025 season, signing international free agent Hyeseong Kim and trading away former top prospect Gavin Lux.
There were some obvious improvements Kim needed to make to his game coming over from the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO), but the Dodgers believed he had a lot of upside that they could help unlock. The signing allowed the organization to get younger while also receiving some significant prospect capital in exchange for Lux from the Cincinnati Reds.
The move wasn’t an immediate success, with Kim starting the 2025 season in Triple-A Oklahoma City, but his arrival provided a mid-season spark for the Dodgers and he found his place on the roster.
Kim reflected on his first season in the Majors in a post on Instagram, calling it a valuable experience and expressing his excitement to build on his rookie season.
Kim had a successful showing in 2025, answering a lot of the questions about his game coming into the year. Kim finished the season hitting .280/.314/.385, played good defense at second base and providing tremendous value on the bases with his speed.
He recorded four outs above average (OAA) at second base and a 82% success rate was 3% over his estimated success rate.
The most promising development from Kim’s rookie season was the display of his slugging ability, with six doubles, one triple and three home runs in 161 at-bats. It was nothing groundbreaking, but it was a good first step in answering a major question from Kim’s scouting report coming over from the KBO.
Kim didn’t see much action in the postseason, appearing in one game as a pinch-runner and another as a defensive replacement. Notably, he scored the game-winning run in Game 4 of the National League Division Series, with the pressure caused by his speed contributing to Orion Kerkering’s errant throw.
Blake Snell’s friendship with Hyeseong Kim
Blake Snell and Kim were among the Dodgers’ many free-agent signings prior to the 2025 season, as the team hoped to give itself the best chance to repeat as World Series champions.
The two have formed a close friendship during this first season in L.A. The Dodgers signed Snell away from the San Francisco Giants, while Kim came over from the KBO.
Snell had a high opinion of his new teammate even before meeting him, thanks to a glowing character reference from his former Giants teammate Jung Hoo Lee.
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