Infielder Kim Hye-Seong #3 of Kiwoom Heroes bats in the bottom of the eighth inning. (Photo by Han Myung-Gu/Getty Images)
Heroes’ 2B Hye-Seong Kim Signs with Creative Artists Agency (CAA)
On Monday, Kiwoom Heroes’ second baseman, Hye-Seong Kim, signed a contract with the Creative Artists Agency, reports Yoo Jee-ho of the Yonhap News Agency on X.
CAA also represents Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani. According to Yoo, the Heroes will make Kim available through the posting system after the 2024 KBO season. MLB organizations will have 30 days to negotiate a contract with Kim after he is posted.
Kim, 25, is a contact hitter who has shown flashes of power this season with the Heroes, totaling a career-high eight home runs in 50 games. The lefty hitter is batting .309 with a .837 OPS.
Hanwha Eagles Hire Kim Kyung-moon as Manager
On Sunday, the Hanwha Eagles announced that Kim Kyung-moon would be their new manager for the next three seasons. Kim replaces Choi Won-ho, who resigned due to the organization’s poor play this season.
Kim has plenty of experience in the KBO as a manager, leading the Doosan Bears from 2004-11 and the NC Dinos from 2011-18. He has reached the Korean Series four times as a manager but has yet to win a championship.
Kim’s career highlight was managing the South Korean national team at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. South Korea went 7-0 in the group stage and 9-0 overall, defeating Cuba 3-2 to win the gold medal.
NC Dinos Acquire SS Kim Whee-jip from Kiwoom Heroes
On Thursday, the NC Dinos acquired shortstop Kim Whee-jip from the Kiwoom Heroes in exchange for a first and third-round draft pick in the next KBO draft.
Kim hit .227 with six home runs and 26 RBI in 51 games with the Heroes before the trade. He’s versatile in the infield, playing second and third base for Kiwoom.
“Kim Whee-jip is an infielder with some power tools and has a ton of experience at a young age,” NC Dino’s general manager, Lim Sun-nam, told Yonhap News Agency. “He will add depth to our lineup thanks to his extra-base power, and I think there is still untapped potential for him at the plate. And since he can play second base, shortstop, and third base, he will help our infield defense immensely.”
This Day in Korean Baseball History
On June 3, 2017, Park Hae-min of the Samsung Lions hit a walk-off double in the bottom of the 10th to defeat the KIA Tigers 6-5.
The double was Park’s only game hit, going 1-for-6 with a strikeout in the contest. The Lions trailed 5-1 in the bottom of the fifth but scored five unanswered runs to win the game.
Park Hae-min, 34, currently plays center field for the LG Twins.
KBO Standings as of Monday, June 3
- KIA Tigers (35-22-1)
- LG Twins (34-24-2)
- Samsung Lions (32-25-1)
- Doosan Bears (32-27-2)
- SSG Landers (29-28-1)
- NC Dinos (28-29-1)
- KT Wiz (26-31-1)
- Hanwha Eagles (24-32-1)
- Lotte Giants (22-32-2)
- Kiwoom Heroes (22-34-0)
