The Los Angeles Dodgers recalled Hyeseong Kim from Triple-A Oklahoma City earlier this month as the corresponding move to Tommy Edman being placed on the 10-day injured list with right ankle inflammation.
Kim’s arrival was met with plenty of excitement as it marked his first stint on the big league roster after signing a three-year contract with the Dodgers during the offseason. The 26-year-old spent the first eight seasons of his professional career in the KBO League.
Kim made an immediate impact with the Dodgers and was recently praised by manager Dave Roberts for the fearlessness and spark he has brought to the team.
Blake Snell has also enjoyed watching Kim play with the Dodgers, citing his energy and positivity, in addition to developing since Spring Training, via “Dodger Talk” on AM 570 L.A. Sports:
“His speed, he’s faster than I thought. His defense got a lot better from spring until now, and his hitting is actually better from spring until now. So there’s been a lot of improvement from him, which has been exciting to see. I’m excited to see his journey through the next month. Seeing how that goes, how he handles it if he succeeds, if he fails. This game is very difficult, so you don’t really know what’s going to happen. But right now, watching him play has been a lot of fun. His energy, he’s always happy, he’s always excited about every day. So that’s really good to see.”
Kim has appeared in nine games (six starts) for the Dodgers so far and is 7-for-22 with four runs scored, two RBI and two stolen bases. All of Kim’s hits have been singles to this point, but he has displayed the impressive bat-to-ball skills and baserunning ability that made him so successful in South Korea.
He has also shown some of his versatility by starting games at second base and center field for the Dodgers.
Hyeseong Kim has changed ‘everything’ with swing
Kim did not fare well at the plate in Spring Training and was optioned to Oklahoma City to begin the 2025 season. Even with his struggles, the Dodgers maintained confidence in Kim and felt he was more of a long-term option for the organization.
Kim recently explained that he has spent the last few months making adjustments to his swing and is happy to finally see some results.
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