Dodgers Reportedly Sign Hyeseong Kim in Shocking $22 Million Move
The Los Angeles Dodgers and Korean infielder Hyeseong Kim have reached agreement on a three-year deal, per multiple reports. Naver Sports was first to report the two sides were in agreement on a $22 million deal for “3+2 years.” Shortly thereafter, MLB insider Francys Romero reported the two sides were in agreement on a three-year deal.
Read more: Who is Hyeseong Kim? Full Breakdown of Dodgers Free Agent Target Set to Join MLB
Kim, 25, is a versatile utility man who has won three Gold Glove awards at second base and shortstop in the Korean Baseball Organization. He’s an above-average defender and a plus-bat, as he hit .326 with 41 extra-base hits in 127 games with the Kiwoom Heroes last season.
In addition to his contact skills — Kim struck out just 62 times in 567 plate appearances — he also has plus-speed.
In 2024, Kim stole 30 bases while scoring 90 runs. He had 25 stolen bases in 2023, 34 stolen bases in 2022, and a career-high 46 stolen bases in 2021. He’s had at least 20 stolen bases in every full season of his career.
Kim will now join a Dodgers team that is coming off a 2024 World Series win, and has already reloaded by signing Blake Snell and Michael Conforto, in addition to bringing back Teoscar Hernández and Blake Treinen.
Kim will add another layer to the L.A. lineup, and will shore up the team’s middle infield defense.
The Kim signing makes Gavin Lux’s future in Los Angeles a little more cloudy. If Kim were to play second base — his primary position — Lux would not have a spot in the lineup unless he moved back to the outfield. Moreover, if Kim played shortstop, Mookie Betts would likely move to second base, still kicking Lux out of the infield.
Lux has been in trade rumors all offseason, and Dodgers Nation even proposed L.A. trade Lux in a package for former Milwaukee Brewers closer Devin Williams. However, Williams is now in New York (even though he thought he was coming to L.A.), and the Dodgers may have to look elsewhere if they’re planning on moving Lux.
Kim does have experience playing in either of the corner outfield spots, but he’s much more suited to play Gold Glove caliber defense in the middle infield.
Photo Credit: Yukihito Taguchi-USA TODAY Sports
Love the move, versatile and hit 300+!! Gold glover at 2B and SS! Instant starter! Now on to Sasaki and T Scott! Lets Geaux Dodgers!!
Move betts back to rf!! He is a terrible infielder and makes the Dodgers defense bad. Everyone dogs Lux out, however in his first full season he was hitting over .300 before his neck injury in August and then came back and wasn’t the same for the rest of the season brining his avg way down. Then in his second full season this season, it took him half the season to get back to himself and he was hitting over .300 in the second half and arguably the dodgers best hitter until Roberts started to platoon him in September. Lux is an excellent hitter and will hit .300+. Too bad it will be for another team so that selfish Betts can go to the infield and make himself a “legend” playing multiple positions.
Selfish Betts? As in Mookie Betts? The guy who took on the SS position when Lux showed he was incapable of playing the position? The guy who moved to 2nd in the order? That guy???
How in the world can you be sour on Betts? That is a horrible take.
If anyone needs to go, it’s Chris Taylor.
I understand the desire to move Betts to the infield, but it should be 2nd base. This Kim signing is great it might make the Dodgers see 2nd is the better option for Betts. Lux is a good kid, he has tried and suffered some ups and downs, but trading him to a team where he can possibly be the everyday starter will benefit both.
I Totally Agree, Mookie is an All-star Outfielder of the Highest Degree in Both Defense and Offense and usually Ball Players play till they lose a step or Two and Then get moved to 2nd But, Not to Shortstop where He’d be Active and therefore More likely to injury. ? U ? if he plays Short he’ll be injured within a few months.? Leave Mookie in the Outfield and move him to second base and Only at Shortstop if Need be but, Not as The Daily Full Roster Starting Shortstop! Sounds like we need somebody like Kiki Hernandez as a shortstop.
The Time has come for the Dodgers to PART WAYS with Chris Taylor. He has CONSISTENTLY been— a “DEFINITE OUT” His Hitting percentage in the last two Years has been BEYOND DISMAL. The Dodgers need someone who they can COUNT on to keep the “Ball Rolling.” It is UNLIKELY that there will be a RESURGENCE for Taylor. Why are they keeping him,— and NOT JUMPING at the Opportunity to keep Kike Hernanadez. Wake Up FRONT Office,— and get Kike on the Payroll!!
I agree with you completely!
With all due regards to CT3, and I applauded his resigning a couple of years ago, I doubt he’s tradable today. He might be in the category of play him or release him and eat his contract.
The same game that enables men in the 20s to be millionaires can also be cruel. One kind of goes with the other. I like the earlier era better when players were paid in 10’s of thousands and you could take a family to a game, eat and buy souvenirs without a second mortgage on the house, but times have changed regardless if I like it or not.
You don’t sign a lefty infielder like Kim to play behind another lefty infielder (Lux), much less ahead of an all-star hitter (Betts), and you don’t need six guys to play two positions (Kim, Rojas, Betts, Lux, Edman, Taylor). You don’t send Betts back to RF, losing the bats of the Conforto/Pages platoon. The only option remaining is to play Kim as everyday SS unless he proves he can’t hit, Betts to 2B, and Lux & Taylor will be traded for a bullpen ace or two. With 12 starters once Kershaw re-signs, 13 if we get Sasaki, I expect a few of them to be traded as well. AF can’t sit on all these assets forever.