Hye-Seong Kim is one of the best premier infielders in baseball. Though he had a decent season altogether in 2024, it has been stated that he was quite disappointed with his performance overall, even though he slashed .327/.384/.459 with 30 steals. Those are no pushover stats whatsoever. He has been linked to the Seattle Mariners, although there has been no confirmation whether other teams are trying to pursue him at the same level as the Mariners. He is already projected to earn a 3-year, $24 million contract, according to some insiders.
Jorge Polanco underperformed at 2nd base last season, so having Kim in the mix will help Polanco’s overall game, as Kim is someone who could also play shortstop. He was a shortstop until he transitioned over to second base, where he became one of the best defensive second basemen in the KBO.
KBO players have gotten a lot of attention from MLB scouts lately. Last year, it was Lee Jung Hoo, to whom the San Francisco Giants signed a 6-year, 113 million-dollar contract. It was a great signing, I believe. Lee needed an adjustment period. In fact, in his last 5 games with the Giants, he averaged .368 with 7 hits, 2 runs scored, and an RBI. He was showing signs of improvement at the MLB level. Then, he injured his shoulder jumping for a ball hit high in the air. His rookie campaign ended with surgery. His true rookie campaign starts next season in 2025. He played so briefly in 2024 that, by any means, it cannot be considered a legitimate season played by any player. It may sound like an excuse, but that was the case with Lee Jung Hoo. Lee was about to have a good season if he had not been injured.
Hye-Seong Kim shares the same name as an actor, which can lead to confusion if one is not specific. But, then again, there’s Will Smith of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who also shares the same name as an actor. And it’s hard to mix those two. Oh well. It’s not like people in the United States will even know who the actor who shares the same name as Kim is, right?
KBO players are very sound fundamentally and disciplined defensively. Ha-Seung Kim, another KBO star, has shown that Korean players can be elite, as he won a gold glove award and became one of the top players in the National League in D-War metrics.
Hye-Seong Kim is on par with Ha-Seung Kim defensively. In terms of defensive metrics, the young 26-year-old second baseman of the Kiwoom Heroes has elite defensive metrics. He is someone who can immediately make an impact.
While KBO players’ defense will translate well into MLB, the same cannot be said about their hitting prowess. Pitching in the KBO is just not as good as MLB pitching. It does not mean there aren’t any MLB-level pitchers; it just simply isn't as frequent.
What to expect?
It could be possible that Hye-Seong Kim could struggle, but it could also be possible that he can adjust well to MLB pitching, batting .270. If 327 BA in the KBO can be equivalent to 270 in the MLB, it means that he could be one of the best, if not the best, hitters in the Mariners, the team that has shown the most interest in him. That would be the best result the Mariners could hope for. But, in terms of defense, they need not worry. He’s one of the best.
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