Los Angeles Dodgers utility man Hyeseong Kim is set to enter 2026 in an odd position, as he failed to break into the starting lineup as a regular despite a hot start to life in MLB.
Kim batted .422 with an OPS north of 1.000 through his first month in the big leagues, but couldn’t keep his results through the second half of the season. After a .364 OPS showing after the All-Star break, Kim ended the season with an OPS just below .700.
The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya commented on what Kim needs to do to remain with the team, and said his performance during spring training will be one of the determining factors.
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“This will be a big spring for Hyeseong Kim, who must continue to retool his swing to show he can stick as a big league regular,” Ardaya wrote. “While the surface numbers were certainly good for Kim in the majors last year, he showed some clear flaws that teams looked to expose as he got more reps. Kim chases too much below the zone, with not enough contact in the strike zone to make up for it. Tough lefties make life difficult for him.
“While the other aspects of his game, such as his speed and defense, are big league ready, there are continued adjustments he needs to make with his bat. The Dodgers rave about Kim’s work behind the scenes and willingness to adjust, which is a point in his favor. It’s just a matter of whether those tweaks click into place.”
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While Ardaya says he struggled against lefties, Kim posted a .952 OPS against left-handers last season while keeping a .661 OPS against righties. If he manages to be more consistent come 2026 and find the form he had when he came to the majors, the Dodgers could keep him on the roster and use him in an increased capacity next season.
Photo Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
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3 Responses
I am a Hyeseoung Kim fan and feel that Dave Roberts should have given him more playing time. Michael Conforto played pretty much all year with a horrible batting average. Kim has speed on the bases and can be a great everyday player if given the chance.
Agree. I’d give him a good 50 games as a starter at 2b. Assuming Edmund is able to play center. Actually. Aside from the playoffs in 24’ Edmund hasn’t exactly been a reliable hitter either
I agree. even though it’s a different position player, I don’t understand the patience with a player with a much lower OPS (.582) and batting average (south of the Mendoza line), catcher Dalton Rushing. No doubt Hyesong struggled in second half, but I think he’ll show his competitiveness and regain confidence to stick in the bigs in 2026!