The San Diego Padres lost Korean shortstop Ha-Seong Kim to free agency at the start of the summer. While there is still a chance he returns to California, the versatile infielder is apparently attracting a lot of interest around the league, and his homecoming is not guaranteed.
On Tuesday, it was discovered that fellow Korean infielder Hyeseong Kim (no related to Ha-Seong) will likely be officially posted on Wednesday, giving him a 30-day window to sign with any MLB team.
Could the Padres replace Ha-Seong Kim with a KBO newcomer?
So far, there have been few reports tying the two parties, but his market and discussions are just getting started.
Aside from the apparent entertaining name comparison, the two Kims are very comparable players. Ha-Seong has more power, but Hyeseong is a valuable player in his own right and is projected to be less expensive.
Unlike Roki Sasaki, Kim is classified as a ‘professional’ and will be eligible to sign the largest agreement he can find because he is at least 25 (really 26) years old and has at least six years of experience on the international circuit.
“Offensively, Hyeseong ranks slightly lower than Ha-Seong. Hyeseong has a.304/.364/.403 batting line in eight KBO seasons, while Ha-Seong has.294/.373/.493 in seven campaigns in Korea. The batting average and on-base percentages are rather close, but Ha-Seong clearly holds the advantage in terms of slugging. Hyeseong hit 11 home runs in 2024, a career best, whereas Ha-Seong hit 19 or more home runs in his last six KBO seasons, including 30 in the final year.”
The Padres would be wise to at least consider Kim.
So far, analysts and fans have overwhelmingly favoured the Seattle Mariners as Hyeseong’s destination. However, the Padres would be wise to scout and consider him.
Over the last three seasons, Ha-Seong averaged nearly 3.5 fWAR per year with the Padres, and if Hyeseong comes close to that value, he will be a success for whichever team signs him. However, the move from the KBO to the MLB is challenging, so expect some troubles in his first season.
It will always depend on the price, but the Padres could consider Hyeseong Kim as a free-agent option this offseason.
Leave a Reply