The Braves have appeared to round out their shortstop plans for 2026. Ha-Seong Kim, who spent the last month of 2025 with Atlanta, will reportedly re-sign with the team on a one-year deal. Kim opted out of his previous contract in November.
A Look at Kim
It was a strange 2025 campaign for Ha-Seong Kim, the 30-year-old shortstop who only had 191 plate appearances between the Rays and Braves last season.
Kim signed a two-year deal with an opt-out after 2025 with the Rays in January of this year. Before he signed with Tampa Bay, Kim spent his entire MLB career with the Padres after he came over from Korea. While Kim wasn’t a big power hitter, he did belt a career-best 17 home runs in 2023 and stole 38 bases that season.
He spent the first few months of 2025 recovering from offseason surgery. Kim didn’t return until early July. However, he dealt with back problems in the summer. Then, after the Rays promoted top shortstop prospect Carson Williams, Tampa placed Kim on waivers just before the postseason roster lock-in deadline.
The Braves claimed Kim off waivers in September, resulting in him playing the final month of 2025 with Atlanta. He didn’t put up earth-shattering numbers overall, as Kim slashed .251/.316/.368 (.684 OPS) over 98 plate appearances. However, three of his four extra-base hits were home runs.
Kim took his opt-out after the 2025 season, nullifying the $16MM he would have made had he accepted the deal.
The book hasn’t changed much on Kim since he last made it to the free agent market. Kim has proven to be an excellent defender, even though Outs Above Average (-3) did not rate him particularly well in 2025. In 2024, Kim was a +4 in OAA. The year before, he was +9 between second, short, and third.
Hitting-wise, Kim has a short swing, makes consistent contact, and doesn’t expand out of the zone too much. His ability to get on base was a major asset in San Diego, which got him placed atop the lineup often there.
Per reports, the Braves will give Ha-Seong Kim a one-year deal worth $20MM.
Analysis
Kim made out well after he opted out of the deal he signed last winter. Rather than make $16MM, he’ll get $20MM AAV for the 2026 campaign.
The shortstop position was one of the Braves’ few areas of weakness heading into the offseason. The Braves added veteran outfielder Mike Yastrzemski earlier this month to slot into the 26-man roster after losing Marcell Ozuna to free agency. Additionally, the Braves re-signed Raisel Iglesias and signed Kim’s ex-Padres teammate Robert Suarez to a multi-year deal.
Atlanta did partially address the shortstop position earlier in the winter when the Braves traded now-Astro Nick Allen for Mauricio Dubon. Dubon, a Gold Glove winner for the Astros, is an exceptional defender, much like Allen. However, Dubon has proven to be a better overall hitter than Allen.
Kim, though, is more of a well-rounded hitter. He’s a more proven hitter and, as noted earlier, can play the shortstop position well.
Over the last few seasons, the Braves have tried multiple players to fill the shortstop role since Dansby Swanson departed. Kim is arguably the most complete shortstop the team has had since 2022.
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