How is Hyeseong Kim Doing in Triple-A? Dodgers Trying Out Longtime Infielder in Center Field
The Los Angeles Dodgers are trying out offseason addition Hyeseong Kim in center field with the Triple-A Oklahoma City Comets. While Kim was a Gold Glove defender at second base in Korea, the team is seeing if he can provide versatility in the outfield — especially in a position of need in center field.
On Tuesday, Kim got his third start of the year in center field. James Outman — a known center fielder — started in right field. Kim has also started three games at second base and three games at shortstop on the year.
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Offensively, Kim continued his strong start to the season, going 3-for-6 with three runs batted in and two stolen bases. On the year, he’s now hitting .308 with an OPS of .873.
Defensively, here were his plays in center field, courtesy of Hyseong Kim Muse on X:
The Dodgers are yet to get positive production from center field this season, as Andy Pages has struggled offensively, defensively, and on the bases.
Offensively, he’s hitting .118 with an OPS of .415. Defensively, he’s been below average in center field with negative-1 outs above average. He also misplayed a Bryce Harper double that ended up giving the Philadelphia Phillies an 8-7 lead (and eventual win) on Sunday. Here’s a video of the play:
Manager Dave Roberts recently spoke about Pages’ struggles for Los Angeles.
Read more: Dave Roberts Gets Honest About Andy Pages’ Struggles for Dodgers
“Yeah, he took a bad read,” Roberts said. “It was a line drive, hit hard. I think he broke in, then broke toward right field and at that point in time he was beat by the baseball. It was just a tough read.”
As for his base running mistakes, after getting picked off over the weekend, Roberts had this to say: “As a young player, you still got to play the game the right way. He was doubled off a couple games ago. And this one, you go and you stop — you just can’t. … Gotta eliminate those outs on the bases.”
While Tommy Edman played center field for the Dodgers on Monday, Pages is back in center field on Tuesday with Edman at second base.
However, it’s clear the Dodgers want to see if Kim can be an option in center field, or if he would be better used at second base with Edman playing center field.
Either way, Kim’s strong bat thus far in Triple-A is giving him a serious case to earn a call-up sooner rather than later.
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I’ve got to tickets to Korean Heritage Night next Wednesday. Me thinks he’ll be brought up to either make his debut that game or possibly beforehand to get over the nerves a bit. If he’s now another utility man. Chris Taylor should look out.
If they are going to call him up, it should be at second base and return TEdman back to CF. If Kim can lessen the team’s strikeout rate and help put the ball in play a little more, then bring him up.
Chris Taylor has 9+ years service time. He needs to be on the roster almost the entire year to reach 10 years. If they DFA him, so that Kim could come up, someone might pick Taylor up and the Dodgers would pay him $13 million to play for someone else. He does not have to go to AAA. Most likely, Kim comes up in response to an injury to somebody or Pages playing himself back to AAA. Pages was never a center fielder. He is being asked to do something he is not ready to do, if he will ever be. If he got on base in front of Ohtani over .375, then OK, maybe his defense could be overlooked. But he is not getting on base. His OPS is .571. Last year was .701. These numbers would have to be better to justify starting him in CF, given his defense.. Gavin Lux is doing no better, but historically he was better. Don’t be shocked if they make a deal at the trade deadline for a CF or 2B or if they decide to move Betts to 2B.