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.
Big mistake hiring Boras. He would be better off having Kim Jong Un of North Korea representing him.
Padres only then need to hire Dennis Rodman in place of Preller for negotiations.
“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.
If I were an mlb star right now I would stay away from boras after bungling the boras 4 last year
Pretty much guarantees that the Braves won’t be going after Kim—-if they had been considering it .
Maybe Kim figures Boras is ok since he won’t be ready for the start of the season anyway.
Yanks: Before or after he nukes S. Korea?
I started to hear the Darth Vader music when reading the headline
Haven’t posted in months but still following. Looks like I’ll def need to change the handle with this news, haha
Ha-$eong Kim arc?
Change it to Ha Seong Kim brought to you by Scott Boras
The Artist Formerly Known as Ha-Seong Kim
Woah no way the real Mr Kim I didn’t know you had an account to follow baseball news
You guys will laugh at me, but Hye-Seong Kim will get more money that Ha-Seong Kim.
The Imperial March
C ya Kim. Enjoy your next team.
Qualifying offer is no longer a risk to SD. With the injury, his happiness in SD, pre-switch, he might have taken the QO and at 21 mil estimated, that’s a high price even for 1 year but this signals “no way, no how” is he even thinking of QO. Get the draft pick SD.
We probably got the best years out of him anyway. Let him walk.
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.
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.
“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.
@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.
@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.
@Fernando I will grant there is a non-zero chance Kim accepts the QO if offered. We will see how Preller plays it.
Either way, they should not pay Kim $20 million a year for one or multiple years. Someone might, but the Pads have other more pressing needs.
MLB Fan
I agree that Kim is not worth a QO coming off an injury. The theory is that Boras would have him reject it anyway.
Yeah he would definitely take the qo if it was offered, it would give him a year to rehab and showcase for a bigger deal while getting paid more than he would get in free agency
I see little chance he accepts it if offered. This is his big chance to make $.
MLB – I disagree. Boras is all about the big contracts. Not that an isolated case isn’t out there. With the deadlines in place for accepting the QO, along with his penchant for waiting teams out until late (too late sometimes), it isn’t likely at all that it is accepted.
Boras is definitely about the big contracts. With HSK needing shoulder surgery and having a lesser year, I doubt Boras thinks he has a better chance getting that now versus next off-season post surgery.
Realistically how big of an offer are teams going to be willing to give him at this point?
Put me down for a 75% chance he is advised to accept the QO and get healthy for his big(er) FA deal in 1 year. Doesn’t mean the Padres shouldn’t offer it, but just that if they do it has to be more about being happy having him back for 1 year at 20m.
I think it depends on what they want to do money wise – do they want to risk the 20m on a guy that they hope will rebound next year post surgery or do they think that they would rather sit it out and let another team bet that he will come back and provide the value in future years.
He’s a 3 WAR a season player who plays all over the place entering his age 29 season, he’s declining the QO.
Your crazy if you think Kim is getting less than 1/2 the QO on an AAV.
A QO would absolutely kill any market Kim has with his shoulder surgery. He probably would accept and then reenter the market next off season without such an encumbrance.
Smart move.
Future Angels overpay
Angels have a better option in Rengifo. After what happened with Rendon I seriously doubt this is their next move.
Welcome back to shortstop, Bogaerts.
Or anyone else on that roster for that matter
Assuming alonso leaves the Mets and vientos takes 1st, there could be room in Queens for Kim
That would be a surprise. Acuna looks like their 2bman and Baty might get another shot at claimi8ng 3B. If they target Soto and pitching how much could they afford at other spots?
Padres need to resign Profar and give Merrill a 5 year deal. 5 years 80 million. If he’ll take it.
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.
On Profar, just depends on his demand. Even with his career year, he has 10 year overall history to look at and his age both suggesting you can’t reasonably expect to see this again – note his decline in last 2 months even. I wouldn’t give more than 3 year deal at maybe 10/ year. Some team probably will go over but Padres shouldn’t.
They have Lockridge, Tirso and could even bring back Peralta for a platoon on a low dollar 1 year deal.
Invest that money in anther SP or a SS. Need a catcher too but no high dollar FA out there so, bring back Higgy on a 2 year deal waiting for Salas.
Profar is like Montgomery. They only play well for one team (Rangers, Padres).
Montgomery pitched well for the Yankees and Cardinals.
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
Miss postseason with shoulder surgery + hire Boras as your agent + local TV meltdown = MLB Yahtzee!
Gonna miss him, one of my all-time faves.
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.
Bye Felicia
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.
Kim to the Giants with his buddy Lee and playing again for Bob Melvin
Doesn’t sound like a Posey move to me.
Actually it does, posey has said that they are looking at shortstop and pretty much the best 2 free agents are Kim and adames, adames’s defensive falloff is a little bit of a red flag
I would enjoy seeing him reunite with Jung-Hoo Lee.
You’re not that guy Kim. You’re a middle of the road free agent when most teams will be cutting payroll. Good luck with the Boras aggressive negotiations.
He really wants to be the last guy to sign an underwhelming deal in March, I guess
For all the criticism of Boras, he is good at creative contracts that mitigate the downside risk for his clients. Kim’s uncertainty makes for one of those option tree type contracts that Boras is good at a really good option for him.
My only criticism of Boras is that he greatly misjudged the market last year. It cost some of his players a lot of money. The market will be even slower this year for everyone but the top 5 or so players. Too many teams will be looking to cut payroll because of the Bally bankruptcy.
Did he misjudge the market though? Teams are willing to pay for uncertainty when there’s upside which is why he secured Lee way more than anyone expected. They are less willing to lay out a huge financial commitment when there is only downside which is what all of the Boras four represented. He still secured all of them opportunities to have control over security or upside depending on their performance/preference. At the time, it looked like he didn’t get what they wanted, but the longer view shows Chapman has come out ahead, Snell probably has if he wants to, and Bellinger and Monty are probably pretty happy they get to opt in to high salaries for what they are with a chance to still cash in in the future. Fans hate Boras because he doesn’t let their teams get away with the buy low bargains. Even his pillow contracts are attached to the downside risk (from the team’s perspective) of the player options.
Boras absolutely misjudged the market last year.
Before Kim’s injury I think the padres QO Kim now I think it’s less likely even with him selecting boras. Kim will likely miss part of the season and that injury can take a year or two fully recover from.
I wouldn’t say 100% they don’t QO him but I’d lean to them not QO’ing him.
Wouldn’t mind seeing him on a 2-3 year deal for the Yanks. Let him play 2b next year so he doesn’t have to make strenuous throws and allow the Yankees to evaluate Volpe another year with a built in safety net in place for SS. Jazz seems fine at 3b, Martian in CF….if they resign Soto then you can plug in 1b on the cheap. Me likey.
Whoever signs on with Boras is trying to get paid. I think the Snell and Montgomery situation of last year has put more pressure on him to sign deals though as teams are not afraid to walk away from talent if the asking price is too high.
He’s supposed to have surgery. Will he even be ready for spring training?