The Los Angeles Dodgers have an agreement in place with Korean infielder Hyeseong Kim, a league source told The Athletic shortly before his posting window from the Korean Baseball Organization’s Kiwoom Heroes was set to expire Friday afternoon.
The terms of the deal are not yet clear, though Korean reports indicate that the 25-year-old had agreed to a three-year deal.
Kim, who ranked No. 41 on Keith Law’s list of the top 50 free agents this offseason, is a second baseman who hit .326/.383/.458 with 11 home runs, 75 RBIs and 30 stolen bases last year for the Heroes. The Dodgers envision Kim playing a super-utility role, league sources said.
Source: Dodgers deal with Hyeseong Kim is 3 years, $12.5 million guaranteed. He has a two-year option for 2028 and 2029 that would get picked up together, with a chance to make up to $22 million.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) January 3, 2025
When the deal becomes official, the Dodgers will pay a transfer fee to Kiwoom. The fee, according to MLB.com, is based on the amount of his guaranteed contract. If he signs a major-league contract, Kiwoom will receive a payment equal to 20 percent of the first $25 million in guaranteed value, 17.5 percent of the next $25 million, and 15 percent on all amounts above $50 million.
The left-handed-hitting infielder has a reputation for his defense and has experience at both middle-infield positions. The Dodgers went into this winter indicating publicly that Mookie Betts would be the club’s Opening Day shortstop once again, though the presence of Kim could perhaps alter that thinking. The Dodgers are also slated to have Gavin Lux — another left-handed-hitting second baseman who hit at the bottom of the order much of last season — return as their second baseman.
— This story will be updated.
(Photo of Hyeseong Kim: Gene Wang / Getty Images)
