Hyeseong Kim, Dodgers Agree to Three-Year, $12.5-Million Contract
The Los Angeles Dodgers have struck again, this time with Korean infielder Hyeseong Kim, as ESPN’s Daniel Kim first reported.
Kim, posted by the Kiwoom Heroes of the KBO on Dec. 4, has agreed to a three-year deal that guarantees him $12.5 million with the reigning World Series champions. It also includes a two-year mutual option for 2028 and ‘29 that would earn him a total of $22 million.
Both of those mutual options must be either picked up or declined together. They can not be exercised separately.
The 25-year-old spent eight seasons in the KBO, all with the Heroes, logging 953 career games. He’s considered one of the top hitters in Korea, registering a batting average of at least .300 and an on-base percentage of at least .370 each season since 2021.
Last season, the left-handed-hitting infielder set career-highs in home runs (11) and RBIs (75) while slashing .326/.383/.458 across 127 games with Kiwoom, accounting for a 118 wRC+ (100 league average).
Kim also showcased his impressive plate discipline, registering a career-best 10.9-percent strikeout rate with his 8.3-percent walk rate. Since 2020, he hasn’t produced a K-rate higher than 17 percent, steadily improving in that department each season.
Base stealing is another one of Kim’s notable traits, as he swiped 30 or more in four of his eight KBO seasons. He stole a career-high 46 in 144 games during the ‘21 campaign.
The 5-foot-10 infielder is also a reliable defender and a three-time Golden Glove winner in the KBO, capturing two awards at second base (2022, ‘23) and the other at shortstop (‘21). He features prior experience at third, as well, but hasn’t played the hot corner since ‘20.
Before signing Kim, the Dodgers’ infield already appeared to be set with Gavin Lux and Mookie Betts up the middle at second and short, respectively, and Max Muncy at third. Now, however, there seems to be a bit of a logjam.
Los Angeles could explore trade scenarios for Lux, a free agent after the 2026 season, freeing up second for Kim. But they could also keep everyone and utilize the Korean infielder in a super-utility role, as The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya noted.
As part of Major League Baseball’s posting rules, the Dodgers owe a release fee of 20 percent to Kim’s former KBO club, resulting in a $2.5-million charge due to his $12.5 million guarantee.
The Dodgers have certainly kept their fan base entertained this off-season, acquiring Blake Snell, Michael Conforto and now Kim in free agency. They also re-signed Teoscar Hernández and Blake Treinen and inked Tommy Edman to a five-year extension.
Between all those moves, the franchise’s projected 2025 Competitive Balance Tax (CBT) payroll has skyrocketed this winter, rising to approximately $356.3 million, according to FanGraphs’ RosterResource. That blows past the fourth and final luxury-tax threshold of $301 million as the sport’s highest payroll – and by a significant margin.
They also might not be finished adding, with other marquee free agents still available, including Japan’s Roki Sasaki, presenting the Dodgers as the clear-cut favourites to repeat as World Series champions in 2025.
-Thomas Hall
Twitter: @Hall_Thomas_
Photo: Frederick Dennstedt. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.