Infielder Ha-Seong Kim has switched his representation, according to a report from Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Kim will now be represented by the Boras Corporation going forward.
Kim, 29 later this month, is seemingly poised to enter free agency this November. The infielder’s current contract with the Padres includes a mutual option for the 2025 season but Kim is widely expected to decline that $8MM option in favor of a $2MM buyout and test the open market. It will be Kim’s first unencumbered trip through free agency after signing with San Diego on a $28MM guarantee prior to the 2021 season after being posted to MLB by the Kiwoom Heroes of South Korea’s KBO. While Kim was eligible to sign with any of the league’s 30 clubs for any amount of money, the posting system comes with a few caveats that don’t exist for a typical free agent such as the posting fee that must be paid to the player’s former club and specific windows during which negotiations must take place.
Without those restrictions, Kim is likely to enjoy a different experience in his second time through MLB’s free agent process. That’s also due to his performance on the field, of course, as Kim has emerged as one of the top infield options in this winter’s class thanks to the average offense and excellent defense he flashed during his time in San Diego. Since becoming an everyday player with the Padres in 2022, Kim has slashed a solid .250/.336/.385 that’s good for a 106 wRC+, 6% better than the league average hitter. He also flashed the best plate discipline of his career this season with a 12.3% walk rate against an excellent 16.4% strikeout rate, and has chipped in 60 stolen bases in 74 attempts over the past two years.
While Kim’s offensive development since coming to stateside ball has been impressive, the main selling point of the infielder’s profile remains his strong defense. Kim ranks 17th among all infielders over the last three years in Outs Above Average with a +21 figure and is the 11th-best infielder over that same timeframe by DRS with a +30 that is only bested by Taylor Walls, Miguel Rojas, and Dansby Swanson among shortstops during that time. Kim’s defensive value is further enhanced by his versatility, as he has shown himself to be a quality defender at both second and third base in addition to shortstop.
With that being said, Kim’s outlook in free agency grew quite a bit murkier last week when it was announced that the infielder is set to undergo shoulder surgery this offseason. With so much of Kim’s value tied to his defensive value, the prospect of a major procedure on his throwing shoulder could worry some potential suitors this winter and may complicate a free agency that otherwise appeared to leave Kim in position to secure a strong multi-year guarantee. It’s a somewhat unusual situation that Kim will now turn to the Boras Corporation, the agency run by high-profile agent Scott Boras, to navigate.
Kim joins other high-profile free agents in the upcoming class such as Corbin Burnes, Blake Snell, and Pete Alonso in being represented by Boras, who drew plenty of attention last winter as the free agencies of a handful of his top clients dragged into Spring Training. Each of the so-called “Boras Four,” comprised of Snell, Matt Chapman, Cody Bellinger, and Jordan Montgomery, wound up taking short-term deals that generally met expectations in terms of average annual value but fell well short in overall guarantee. It’s an approach that’s drawn mixed reviews, with Montgomery switching his representation amid a career-worst season with the Diamondbacks while Snell praised Boras and now appears likely to head into free agency under his guidance for the second time in as many seasons. Chapman signed a hefty extension with the Giants last month in lieu of returning to the open market this winter while Bellinger’s upcoming decision on his player option remains up in the air.
Should Kim’s foray into free agency not yield the strong payday that was expected prior to the announcement of his impending shoulder surgery, it wouldn’t necessarily be a surprise to see Kim opt for a shorter-term, option-laden deal with a high average annual value similar to the ones signed by each of those aforementioned players this winter. After all, it’s a strategy that worked out quite well for Chapman, Snell, and even Boras clients from before last winter such as Carlos Correa and Max Scherzer.
64' Yanks
Big mistake hiring Boras. He would be better off having Kim Jong Un of North Korea representing him.
YankeesBleacherCreature
Padres only then need to hire Dennis Rodman in place of Preller for negotiations.
mlb fan
“Kim Jong Un of North Korea”…You should only consider hiring Boras if you’re a top of market talent.
Everyone else gets put in the back of the bus until he secures tens of millions for his top of market clients.
Kim has pretty much guaranteed that he won’t be signed until all the teams have already exhausted their budgets deep into Spring training.
sad tormented neglected mariners fan
If I were an mlb star right now I would stay away from boras after bungling the boras 4 last year
Gwynning
I started to hear the Darth Vader music when reading the headline
Ha-Seong Kim
Haven’t posted in months but still following. Looks like I’ll def need to change the handle with this news, haha
SteveFinleyEnthusiast
Ha-$eong Kim arc?
James Midway
Change it to Ha Seong Kim brought to you by Scott Boras
VegasSDfan
C ya Kim. Enjoy your next team.
This one belongs to the Reds
He’s going for the money, but he may not end up signing until spring training if not in the middle of it with all the RSN uncertainty.
MR. Q
Well now that Kim is hiring Boras, Padres should offer him QO as it looks like now would be rejected by Kim despite his injury. At least that would let Padres recoup a draft pick from losing him.
mlb fan
“Offer him QO”…I wouldn’t offer him a QO. The qualifying offer is probably more than double his expected AAV. I don’t think even Scott Boras will decline to receive double his actual market on a 1 year deal.
Informed Sportsball Discussion
@mlb fan
Scott Boras had Snell turn down $150 million. Which may even turn out to pay off.
I didn’t like the risk of the QO initially, but I think I am leaning towards Mr. Q. Nobody hires Scott Boras to settle for one year deals.
Thanks for the draft pick, Mr. Boras.
Informed Sportsball Discussion
@mlb fan
Now if this turns out to be a head fake to pocket easy QO money, well, respect to HSK’s game at that point. That would be something.
The Seth Lugo precedent says they won’t do it. He too could have accepted the offer. Non-zero chance. They only did it with no doubt no’s on the table from Snell and Hader.
LordD99
Smart move.
SweetBabyRayKingsThickThighs
Future Angels overpay
Informed Sportsball Discussion
Welcome back to shortstop, Bogaerts.
sad tormented neglected mariners fan
Assuming alonso leaves the Mets and vientos takes 1st, there could be room in Queens for Kim
Crunchtime1969
Padres need to resign Profar and give Merrill a 5 year deal. 5 years 80 million. If he’ll take it.
Informed Sportsball Discussion
Not Rookie of the Year money or length. Best comp is Julio Rodriguez.
Your proposal would give the team stability with Merrill’s arbitration years, but buy out none of his first free agent years. Might as well shoot for the moon to make Merrill a lifer.
SFBay314
Not great idea, was hoping SF signed him.
Who knows maybe Bora gives us a discount again. Showing it was never farhan would be funny
ChuckyNJ
Miss postseason with shoulder surgery + hire Boras as your agent + local TV meltdown = MLB Yahtzee!
straightuphonestguy
Gonna miss him, one of my all-time faves.
PutPeteinthehall
Boras is the master of getting a long term deal for a crippled player. Hope Kim bounces back 100 percent from the surgery but there’s also the possibility he won’t. Was a smart hire for the player.
Rally Goose
Bye Felicia
hellsbells51
Well, that all but ends his time in SD. Loved his hustle, but he regressed this year. Maybe the Padres can pick up Hye-Seong Kim as a replacement.
Fernando Ringworm Jr.
HA. SEONG. KIM!
HA. SEONG. KIM!
HA. SEONG. KIM!
HA. SEONG. KIM!