Signing Hyeseong Kim was among the Los Angeles Dodgers many offseason moves, although he was not one of their flashiest acquisitions.
Kim signed a three-year, $12.5 million contract and did not receive a clause that allows him to decline being sent to the Minor League level. Although Kim has been given many chances in Spring Training to earn a spot on the team, optioning him to Triple-A remains on the table.
The 26-year-old has had his struggles in Cactus League play, batting .192/.300/.308 in 26 games. Kim is working on a swing change, so the offense may take some time to come around, and the Dodgers understand the need to be patient.
With that patience in mind, the Dodgers are still debating whether to bring him on their travel roster to Japan or keeping him in Arizona to continue focusing on those mechanical adjustments, via Fabian Ardaya of the Athletic:
@FabianArdaya: Dave Roberts praised Hyeseong Kim’s ABs today, but said conversations are still ongoing on if he’ll go with the Dodgers to Tokyo.
Team’s still weighing whether he’ll start the year in the minors, along with the benefits of him staying in AZ to continue to work on swing changes.
That also means Kim is seemingly out of contention for an everyday role on the Dodgers, and he’s also likely behind some of their other options for a spot on the 26-man roster.
The Dodgers have had an open competition for their starting job at second base or center field, but no one has stood out for the job. That could also end up affecting their bench and how things shape out there.
Among the players who joined Kim in that competition are James Outman, Andy Pages, Chris Taylor and possibly David Bote, Kiké Hernández and Miguel Rojas. However, Hernández is expected to maintain his utility role while Rojas is no longer an everyday player.
Kim could eventually take over as the Dodgers starting second baseman, but for now he remains a work in progress. In the KBO, he displayed an elite prowess with strike zone awareness and stealing bases, while having a real bat-to-ball skillset.
Dodgers carrying James Outman & Matt Sauer on travel roster
Two players who will be traveling to Tokyo with the Dodgers are James Outman and Matt Sauer. The Dodgers have seen enough from both of them to carry them as depth pieces at the minimum, while Outman has a legit chance to earn a role on the club.
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