Hyeseong Kim was among the Los Angeles Dodgers players sent to Minor League camp on Tuesday after manager Dave Roberts revealed he would not be included on their travel roster for the Tokyo Series.
Kim struggled in Cactus League play as he hit just .207/.303/.310 with a home run and three RBI across 33 plate appearances in 15 games.
The 26-year-old will remain at Camelback Ranch and continue getting reps in Minor League Spring Training games to prepare for the 2025 season.
Roberts also confirmed that Kim will begin the year with Triple-A Oklahoma City, per Doug Padilla of the Southern California News Group:
While the Dodgers have not confirmed their 31-player traveling party for the Japan trip, Roberts did reveal that infielder Hyeseong Kim will not be a part of it. Roberts said the new addition from South Korea will open the season at Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Kim opening the 2025 season in the Minors was always a possibility as his contract did not include a clause that prevents the Dodgers from being able to option him.
While Kim publicly set a goal of making the Dodgers’ Opening Day roster, the team is prioritizing his development over forcing him into a starting role.
Kim should benefit from getting regular at-bats with the Oklahoma City Comets and will almost certainly have a chance to make an impact at the Major League level this season.
Even though his results at the plate left a lot to be desired, the Dodgers were encouraged by Kim’s positional versatility this spring as he played second base, shortstop and center field in Cactus League games.
Hyeseong Kim asked former Dodgers for advice
When Kim first signed with the Dodgers, he asked Chan Ho Park, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Jung Hoo Lee and Ha-Seong Kim for advice on how to quickly adjust to the Majors.
“I was former teammates with Jung Hoo Lee and Ha-Seong Kim, and have really good relationships with them, so I asked a lot of questions about their experience in getting adjusted to Major League Baseball. I also asked Chan Ho Park and Hyun-Jin Ryu,” Kim said through an interpreter.
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