Hyeseong Kim Says Dodgers Were The First Team to Contact Him in Free Agency

The Los Angeles Dodgers played the Korean national team in Seoul at the Gocheok Sky Dome before the start of the 2024 season. It was during this exhibition matchup where the Dodgers found their next second baseman, Hyeseong Kim.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts heaped high praise for Kim’s performance after the game, an indication of the organization’s interest in him.

“Our scouts like the second baseman: just the way his body moves. There’s some life to the bat and defensively, he made a nice play out there,” Roberts said.

Nine months later, the Dodgers were the first team to contact Kim in free agency after he was posted. While Kim joins the reigning World Series Champions, he also joins a team that made it priority to get in touch with him early in his free agency process.

“I was so grateful for that,” Kim said.

The Dodgers emerged as a top organization in MLB not only because they are successful, but also because of how they treat their players. The eagerness to contact Kim this offseason is a testament to why the organization is such a coveted place to be.

The arrival of Kim also adds a new dimension to the Dodgers because of his versatility, athleticism, and explosiveness. The Dodgers acquired a three-time Gold Glover in Kim, who spent the last eight seasons in the KBO.

In 2024, Kim slashed .326/.383/.458 with 11 home runs, 75 runs batted in, and an OPS of .841. He is coming off the best year of his career in the KBO.

“We’re really excited to add him into the mix. We’re talking about a double-plus runner, a really good defender in multiple spots, and some real upside with the bat,” general manager Brandon Gomes said.

“Our scouts had flagged that he was potentially going to be posted this year. I think there was that dynamic athlete and explosiveness that he showed in that game against us that really stood out. When you’re able to add somebody with that type of athleticism and that tool package its something that we’re really excited about.”

The signing of Kim wouldn’t have been possible without Dodgers superstar (and part-time recruiter) Shohei Ohtani. He took the time to meet with Kim in Los Angeles during his free agent process. It’s clearly very difficult to turn down the NL MVP.