"Kim Hye-sung's defense is the best." But he doesn't use it as a backup? It's worth including the ML roster!
"Kim Hye-sung's defense is the best." But he doesn't use it as a backup? It's worth including the ML roster!
Blog Article
He was recognized as a defensive player within his team. However, he was not mentioned as a backup resource. Kim Hye-sung (26, LA Dodgers) is undervalued in the U.S.
MLB.com , the official website of the Major League Baseball (MLB), had a time to predict the opening entry of the Los Angeles Dodgers for the 2025 season on the 4th (Korea time). The Dodgers will start the season with the Chicago Cubs and the "MLB World Tour Tokyo Series" at Tokyo Dome in Japan on the 18th.
"Most of the Dodgers' opening roster spots have been decided, but second and center field have question marks," the media predicted, adding that seven players were selected as infield resources. They mentioned the names of first baseman Freddie Freeman, second baseman Edman, third baseman Max Muncy, shortstop Mookie Betts, and Kike Hernandez, Miguel Rojas and Chris Taylor as backup resources. Kim Hye-sung was not mentioned.
MLB.com said, "After the Dodgers traded Gavin Lux to the Cincinnati Reds in the offseason, Kim Hye-sung was likely to take the position of second baseman with a gap." "Dav Roberts, the Dodgers manager, left the possibility that Kim Hye-sung will start the season in the minor leagues to adapt to fastballs," he said. "This means that Edman, the Gold Glove winner, is likely to take over as second baseman."
Asked in an interview with local reporters late last month if Kim can adjust his batting when he starts the season in the Minor League, Roberts said, "If there is a question mark on Kim, it is a blow. It is different from Korea. He is making changes to his swing. It will make him easier to adjust and keep going." For this reason, the local media expected Kim to play in the Minor League.
He has shown regret for his batting performance. As of Tuesday, he played in a total of eight exhibition games, posting a batting average of 0.118 (two hits in 17 times at bat), one homer, one RBI, three runs, and OPS of 0.544. After moving to the U.S., he has made adjustments to his batting form, but the results have yet to be released.
Still, the prediction that Kim will not be included in the opening entry of the big league since he received favorable comments on defense seems harsh. "I think Kim Hye-sung is definitely a player who can lead a game to victory with just defense capability," Roberts said. "He will be trained as a second baseman, third baseman, and center fielder in this spring camp." Third baseman and center fielder rarely played in the KBO league, but they believed in his sense of defense.
In addition, shortstop Miguel Rojas (36) said, "I can assure you that Kim Hye-sung is capable of winning the Gold Glove and the Platinum Glove at the second base." "I think he has really good athletic sense. He is also good at double play," he said. "He regularly catches and plays the ball even if he is not flashy." The Platinum Glove is awarded to only one of the best defenders in both leagues, and it can be seen that Kim has the potential to become the best defender in the league. 메이저놀이터
Kim Hye-sung, who is recognized for his defense, can get a good chance as a utility backup agent. In fact, Kim Ha-sung (Tampa Bay), who was a senior member of the Kiwoom team, finished his first exhibition game with a batting average of 0.167 (7 hits in 42 at-bats) in 19 games since joining the San Diego Padres in 2021. As a result, he was mentioned in the field to go to the minor league, but he confidently joined the roster for the opening game, and settled down after being recognized for his defense.
Kim Hye-sung also still needs time to adapt to the big leagues, but he has defensive skills and fast feet that can work in the major leagues right now. This means that he has enough value even if he is not a main player. Therefore, he can seek a ticket to Tokyo despite the harsh local evaluation.