The Dodgers made another splash on January 3, as Korean star infielder Hyeseong Kim will reportedly join the World Series champs on a three-year deal. The Kiwoom Heroes infielder joins the Dodgers after winning the KBO equivalent of the Gold Glove four times and a strong career at the dish with Kiwoom, as well.
A Look at Kim
For the past three seasons, now-former Kiwoom Heroes second baseman Hyeseong Kim has been one of the better hitters in his native South Korea. Just last season, Kim hit .326/.383/.458 (.841 OPS) with a career-high 11 home runs and 41 extra-base hits. In 2023, Kim set career-highs in OPS (.842) and total bases (248).
His .383 OBP was 16th-best in the Korean Baseball Organization last season.
A member of Team Korea in the 2023 WBC, Kim played in three games, going 1-2 (.500) with three RBI and three walks.
Listed at 5’10” at 176 pounds, Kim doesn’t have a lot of natural power. He’s a skinny infielder with a louder hit tool. He does not have a lengthy swing, rather a shorter, slappy one.
Aside from the bat, he 25-year-old Kim possesses several fine tools, including adept baserunning — he stole 30+ bases in three of the last four seasons, and a good eye. That eye was on display when he played briefly in the World Baseball Classic, as he’ll put bat on ball with regularity. Over the last two seasons with Kiwoom, Kim had an 11.7% K%.
Defensively, Kim is a renowned infielder, as the 25-year-old won a KBO Golden Glove four times in his career.
Kim was posted earlier in the offseason by Kiwoom and had until January 3 to decide on a team. Per reports, the Dodgers will sign Hyeseong Kim to a three-year deal worth $12.5MM with team options for two additional years.
Analysis
The Dodgers continue their busy offseason, one that saw Los Angeles bring back Teoscar Hernandez and re-sign Tommy Edman to a long-term extension. Los Angeles also added ex-Giants Blake Snell and Michael Conforto.
As noted when Hernandez re-signed with the Dodgers, Los Angeles’ lineup for next season has plenty of pop. Seven of the team’s projected starting nine hit at least 25+ home runs in at least one MLB season. That lineup includes a well-balanced group of left and right-handed hitters, captained by Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman.
Kim, a left-handed bat, doesn’t need to hit for power to fit in with LA. Rather, his job will be to work his way on base, likely at the bottom of the lineup, to help set up Ohtani, Betts, etc. Not to mention, his glove will be pivotal for the Dodgers, as well.
Considering Kim’s reptutation as a strong defender, the 25-year-old figures to be a good complement to Mookie Betts at short.
However, one name who may get squeezed out of Los Angeles is Gavin Lux. Lux, a former first-round pick, was largely shielded against left-handed bats last season. The 27-year-old only had 50 regular season plate appearances against left-handed pitching and hit .152/.220/.174 (.394 OPS).
His defense also came under fire last spring, as Lux was slated to play short last season before throwing problems squelched that plan. In all, Lux finished 2024 with a -2 OAA and ranked in the seventh percentile in arm strength (75.0 MPH) per Statcast.
With two left-handed second basemen now on the roster — Lux and Kim — the former is in a tenuous position.