The MLB has tendered a status check, a usual identifier of a player making the jump to North America, on second baseman Hyeseong Kim. Status checks are used when at least one MLB team shows interest in a player currently playing in the KBO.
The check is merely a formality and does not always imply that a player will sign. It is, however, a formality, opening the door for an official posting process which is a 30-day window where a player can sign.
#KBO announced yesterday that they received a request for
player status inquiries from #MLB regarding Hye-Seong #Kim
and Baek-Ho #Kang and confirmed that the players are
affiliated with Kiwoom and KT, respectively. Means some MLB
teams are interested in them, but Kang has no… pic.twitter.com/LCLkQvPm2L— Joseph Kim (@blackwings2011) October 31, 2024
The status check indicates that at least one MLB team has notified the league of their intention to pursue a player. In this case, that player is Hyeseong Kim of the Kiwoom Heroes.
Kim has been a proven contributor throughout his eight seasons in the KBO, adding a career batting average of .304. He has stolen no less than 25 bases over his past six seasons.
Although historically not a power hitter, Kim enjoyed a career season in 2024. He hit 11 home runs, stole 30 bases, and owned an impressive .841 OPS. He’s played in over 100 games in each of his full seasons in KBO.
It’s not difficult to see why teams with deep payrolls in North America would pursue the 25-year-old. Kim has been a proven contributor and will slot in well wherever he lands for next season.
WBN KBO: https://worldbaseball.com/league/south-korea/
WBN MLB: https://worldbaseball.com/league/mlb/
