The Kiwoom Heroes are posting Korean Baseball Organization star Hyeseong Kim. Major League Baseball teams now have a 30-day window to sign him.
The 25-year-old has been playing for the Heroes since 2019. He has 37 career home runs in the KBO and has slashed .304/.364/.403 in his KBO career. Kim is primarily a second baseman but is versatile enough to play shortstop and in the outfield.
Kim will be the fourth active player born in South Korea if signed. He will join Ji Hwan Bae, Ha-Seong Kim, and Rob Refsnyder. He is coming off a career year in 2024.
Kim had the 10th-best batting average in the KBO with .326. He also hit a career-high 11 home runs. He also struck out the least times in his career.
Unlike the other star international free agent, Rōki Sasaki, Kim can sign a traditional contract. Kim will be considered a professional because he is at least 25 and has at least six years of experience in a foreign league. The last KBO infielder to sign as a professional in MLB was San Diego Padres’ Ha-Seong Kim. In 2020, he signed a four-year, $28 million deal.
Kim could earn a similar deal, but Ha-Seong brought more power to the plate than Hyeseong. Before joining the Padres, he had 133 home runs in the KBO. Coincidentally, he also played for the Heroes before joining MLB.
