Reports: LA Dodgers sign Kim Hye-Seong for $22 million
Kim Hye-Seong will be joining the current World Series champions the Dodgers, making way for his possible debut on the MLB grounds.
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Kim Hye-Seong [Image Credit: Pinstripes Alley]
The South Korean professional baseball infielder Kim Hye-Seong will be joining the current World Series champions the Dodgers to defend their World Series title in 2025. They’ve agreed on a deal prior to Kim’s posting window which ends on Friday.
Yet another star player has signed up with the Dodgers, following their already star-studded lineup of – Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Mookie Betts, and others. According to various reports from industry sources, the contract is for 3 years with an option for 2028-29.
Furthermore, he’ll get $12.5 million guaranteed upon signing the deal, which is expected to be worth around $22 million. Since 2017, Kim Hye-Seong has played with the Kiwoom Heroes.
Hyeseong Kim has agreed with Dodgers. 3 years, $12.5M guaranteed, option for 2028-29 (picked up together), chance to make $22M
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 3, 2025
In his last six seasons with KBO, he has recorded .304/.364/.403. Just like Shohei Ohtani who can play both as a pitcher and a hitter, Kim is a versatile player too. He can also play second base, shortstop, and third base for the team. It is yet unknown whether this will be the Los Angeles Dodgers’ final move for the postseason or if more players be added to the roster.
Shohei Ohtani welcomes Kim Hye-Seong to LA Dodgers
Following the official announcement on the Los Angeles Dodgers social media page, Shohei Ohtani welcomed the newcomer to the team. He added a congratulatory story on his Instagram account which translated as “Welcome, buddy.”
The Los Angeles Angels and the Seattle Mariners were also considered to be active in Kim Hye-Seong’s recruitment. However, the Dodgers won the bid by investing their international pool money.
Especially the Angles. Some reports claimed that they bid more than the Dodgers but still lost the race. However, insider Jeff Fletcher noted that there was a significant difference between the two options.
According to Korean media reports, Shohei Ohtani met with Hyeseong Kim in Los Angeles and "gave him a lot of advice" during his free agent process.
— Noah Camras (@noahcamras) January 3, 2025
It appears the Dodgers superstar did some recruiting to land Kim, who took less money and years to join the Dodgers. pic.twitter.com/5X3d4R5oiH
Regardless, with this latest signing, the Dodgers have added another powerful player who can become an asset in the future. Many are questioning if this move will pause their hunt for Roki Sasaki, or are they willing to sign both superstar rookies from the international market.
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Kaushani Chatterjee
(2193 Articles Published)