Ha-Seong Kim

Padres Seen As Front-Runners For Ha-Seong Kim

By Steve Adams | December 28, 2020 at 9:41am CDT

9:41am: Sherman now tweets that the Padres are viewed as the favorites for Kim. A deal has not yet been completed, but the two sides have discussed a $7-8MM annual value over a term fewer than six years. If a deal is completed, Kim would step in at second base, with Cronenworth likely moving into the outfield.

9:18am: Kim is on a flight to the United States this morning, per Jee-ho Yoo of South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency. While Daniel Kim of DKTV and ESPN tweets that Kim is headed to the U.S. to take a physical, that doesn’t mean he’s selected a team just yet. Kim needs to be present to complete a physical prior to his posting window closing, so it makes sense that he’s headed to North America at this time.

Meanwhile, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that the Blue Jays and Padres are considered to be front-runners for Kim, with the Red Sox still looming as a possible but less-likely destination. The Mets and Reds have been “intrigued” by Kim, Sherman adds, but aren’t viewed as favorites to sign him.

8:55am: It’s been less than 12 hours since the Padres agreed to their blockbuster acquisition of Blake Snell in a trade with the Rays, but it seems that’s not the only major roster move general manager A.J. Preller hopes to complete before the New Year. ESPN’s Buster Olney tweets that San Diego is “taking a serious run” at free-agent infielder Ha-Seong Kim, who was posted for Major League clubs by the Korea Baseball Organization’s Kiwoom Heroes.

Unlike most stars who are posted for MLB teams to bid on, Kim is squarely in the midst of his prime years. The 25-year-old has been a steady contributor for the Heroes throughout his career but has seen his offensive output explode over the past two seasons, even as the KBO has altered the composition of its ball in an effort to cut back on the league’s extremely hitter-friendly tendencies. Since 2019, Kim has batted .307/.393/.500 with 49 home runs, 62 doubles, three triples and a 56-for-62 showing in stolen base attempts.

The Padres, of course, don’t have a pressing need for an infielder thanks to the presence of Manny Machado at third base, Fernando Tatis Jr. at shortstop and emergent Jake Cronenworth at second base. Kim, however, has experience at both shortstop and third base, and he’s viewed as a perfectly viable option at second base as well. He could give the Padres — or another club — a versatile super-utility piece who allows them rest their regular infielders a day per week or step into a larger role in the case of an injury. It’s also worth noting that Cronenworth, excellent 2020 debut notwithstanding, still has just 194 Major League plate appearances under his belt.

There’s no clear front-runner for Kim at this point, although his market is nearing its conclusion. His 30-day posting period began on Dec. 2 and must be concluded by Jan. 1 at 5pm ET. The Blue Jays have made an offer of at least five years, and reports out of South Korea have indicated that he has multiple five-year offers in hand. It’s not clear whether the Padres have made a five-year proposal, but chatter surrounding Kim figures to pick up steam over the next few days as bidding for his services draws to a close.

Blue Jays Have Reportedly Made Offer To Ha-Seong Kim

By Anthony Franco | December 27, 2020 at 7:53pm CDT

The Blue Jays are among the teams that have made an offer to free agent infielder Ha-Seong Kim, reports Daniel Kim of ESPN (Twitter link). It’s said to be a proposal of at least five years in length. Daniel Kim reported earlier this week that Ha-Seong Kim was mulling multiple five-year offers.

Kim can play anywhere in the infield and has raked over six-plus seasons in the Korea Baseball Organization. Last season, he hit .306/.397/.523 with 30 home runs in 622 plate appearances for the Kiwoom Heroes. The club posted him earlier this month. MLB teams have until January 1 to work out a deal.

Because of his youth, Kim could appeal to rebuilding and contending clubs alike. The Blue Jays are looking to cement themselves as part of the latter group and have been connected to nearly every high-profile free agent and trade candidate this winter. Toronto has an obvious need for an everyday infielder to join Bo Bichette, Cavan Biggio and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. on the dirt. Were Kim to sign with the Jays, they could plug him directly into their gap at third base, or he could take over at shortstop and bump Bichette to the vacant infield position. At the start of the offseason, the MLBTR staff ranked Kim the #7 available free agent and projected a five-year, $40MM contract.

Latest On Ha-Seong Kim

By Connor Byrne | December 24, 2020 at 9:09pm CDT

Free-agent infielder Ha-Seong Kim has received “several” offers of at least five years, according to Daniel Kim of ESPN. Major league teams have until Jan. 1 to sign him.

Although he hasn’t played a game in the majors, the 25-year-old Kim entered the offseason as one of the most coveted free agents available. Kim starred in the Korea Baseball Organization from 2014-20, during which he slashed .294/.373/.493 with 133 home runs and 134 stolen bases in 3,664 plate appearances. KBO’s Kiwoom Heroes then posted Kim for MLB teams, and MLBTR predicted he would sign a five-year, $40MM deal in free agency.

So far, the Blue Jays and Rangers are teams with known interest in Kim. He joins Didi Gregorius, Marcus Semien and Andrelton Simmons as prominent free-agent shortstops. Although they’re more proven than Kim, he might out-earn all of them if multiple five-year proposals are on the table.

AL East Notes: Cashman, Yankees, Orioles, Kim, Rays

By Mark Polishuk | December 20, 2020 at 10:35pm CDT

Though Masahiro Tanaka, James Paxton, and J.A. Happ are all free agents, most of the speculation surrounding the Yankees has focused on position players (chiefly DJ LeMahieu) rather than pitching this offseason. In an appearance on “The Front Office” on SiriusXM’s MLB Network Radio today, GM Brian Cashman said the Yankees “definitely feel like we need to try to address more certain innings because you don’t want to be in a position where you’re scrambling” for pitching due to injuries or other absences. Whether those additions could come in the near future, however, is in question.

Cashman likes the Yankees’ in-house rotation candidates and suggested the team might wait beyond Opening Day to see what they really have in their current mix before exploring external pitchers. This doesn’t appear to be their ideal scenario, as Cashman described this route as being a “way we’re forced to go because we don’t have the proper matches” in the marketplace, though the Yankees are “prepared” for such an event: “If I can add to what I have sooner than later, all the better. If I have to wait to do it in season, so be it. But we also might have enough right here before us that’s just untested.” It would seem like a risky tactic for New York given the number of apparent holes in its pitching staff, but if Domingo German can return to his past form after a suspension, or if Jordan Montgomery or Deivi Garcia are ready for regular turns in the rotation, what looks like a major need for veteran pitching could be reduced to perhaps one starter at most.

Free Agent Notes: Realmuto, Cruz, Kim, Pillar, Avila, Stanek

By Connor Byrne | December 17, 2020 at 2:32pm CDT

The Nationals and the representative for free-agent catcher J.T. Realmuto “have had early discussions,” Brittany Ghiroli of The Athletic writes. Despite that, Ghiroli casts doubt on the Nationals signing Realmuto because of general manager Mike Rizzo’s suggestion earlier this week that the club doesn’t have the catcher position atop its list of priorities. Rizzo indicated first base and the outfield are bigger needs for the Nationals, who have Yan Gomes coming off a bounce-back season (over just 30 games) as their starting backstop. Even if the Nats want to count on Gomes as their starter in 2021, they could at least re-sign Kurt Suzuki or add a backup to replace him. Tres Barrera, who has totaled two plate appearances in the majors, is the only catcher on their 40-man roster after Gomes.

Here’s more from the open market:

The Twins have not re-signed designated hitter Nelson Cruz yet, but president of baseball operations Derek Falvey told MLB Network Radio that the two sides are still “in contact.” Falvey went on to call Cruz “a special member of the Twins,” which was certainly true from 2019-20. The ageless Cruz, who will soon turn 41 next July, had arguably the two best seasons of his career in Minnesota. He slashed .308/.394/.626 during that time and ranked second in the majors in wRC+ (163) and fifth in home runs (57).
The Blue Jays and free-agent infielder Ha-Seong Kim “have been in touch,” Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports. The 25-year-old Kim hasn’t played in the majors yet, but he starred with the Nexen Heroes of the Korea Baseball Organization from 2014-20 and currently ranks as one of the top free agents on the market. It’s unclear where he would play in Toronto because the club has Bo Bichette occupying short, but Kim may be a fit at either second or third base.
The Rockies have “had discussions” about a reunion with outfielder Kevin Pillar, according to manager Bud Black (via Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post). Black isn’t sure how far those talks have gone, though. The 31-year-old Pillar, whom the Rockies acquired from the Red Sox over the summer, posted a career-high .288/.338/.462 line with six home runs and five stolen bases in 223 plate appearances last season.
Tigers general manager Al Avila told MLB Network that his son, catcher Alex Avila, is on their list of potential free-agent pickups, Jason Beck of MLB.com tweets. However, Al Avila added that the Tigers aren’t prioritizing the catcher position at the moment. There is room for improvement at the spot, though, as the backstops on their 40-man roster – Grayson Greiner, Eric Haase and Jake Rogers – have all failed to record passable offensive numbers during their careers. That isn’t the case for the 33-year-old Alex Avila, owner of a .235/.348/.394 line in 3,527 plate appearances. He played with the Tigers from 2009-15 before moving on to a few other teams, most recently Minnesota.
The Dodgers are the latest team to show interest in reliever Ryne Stanek, who’s on the world champions’ radar, Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times relays. Stanek had a woeful 2020 with the Marlins, but he’s a known entity to Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman. As the Rays’ GM in 2013, Friedman used the 29th overall pick on Stanek.

AL West Notes: Baker, Astros, Rangers, A’s

By Mark Polishuk | December 16, 2020 at 2:32pm CDT

Dusty Baker is taking a wait-and-see attitude towards continuing to manage into the 2022 season, telling reporters (including The Associated Press) that it “Depends how I feel. Depends on how the team feels about me….You never know what changes are going to come about in life.” Hired last January in the wake of A.J. Hinch’s sudden firing, Baker guided the Astros to a wild card berth and then an unexpected run to Game Seven of the ALCS, falling just shy of the franchise’s third AL pennant in four seasons.

Baker is the first manager in baseball history to lead five different franchises to the postseason, adding yet another plaudit to a managerial career that has now stretched to 23 seasons. Last June, Houston exercised its club option on Baker for the 2021 season, though it remains unknown if an extension could be in the offing (Baker made no allusion to any negotiations during his media session). Baker also turns 72 in June, so he could potentially decide to retire after one more year in the dugout.

Blue Jays Notes: Kim, Ryu, Schwarber, Fiers

By Mark Polishuk and Steve Adams | December 8, 2020 at 3:12pm CDT

Korean infielder Ha-Seong Kim appears to be one of many possible Blue Jays targets this offseason, and another Jays star might have done a bit of recruiting, as Daniel Kim of South Korea’s KBS reports (Twitter links) that Kim and Toronto ace Hyun Jin Ryu recently had dinner. Ryu didn’t get into details of the meeting but said in an interview with KBS that he would be “happy to play on a same team with Kim.” Kim requested the meeting himself, and while it’s probably safe to assume playing for the Jays came up at some point, it’s only natural that Kim would want to speak with a veteran player who has already made the move from the KBO to the majors.

Asked about the meeting, Jays assistant GM Joe Sheehan declined to discuss specifics but told Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi (Twitter link) that Ryu “being a big player in the KBO’s history is really good.” The Jays are known to be exploring the infield market and Sheehan gave a favorable review of Kim’s KBO track record when asked by Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith (Twitter link).

Kiwoom Heroes Officially Post Ha-Seong Kim

By Mark Polishuk | December 7, 2020 at 7:40am CDT

Dec. 7: Kim has now been formally posted and can begin negotiating with MLB teams, tweets Jon Morosi of MLB.com.

Dec. 1: Shortstop Ha-Seong Kim has yet to be officially made available to Major League teams due to a minor delay in medical paperwork, Jeeho Yoo of the Yonhap News Agency writes. According to Kiwoom Heroes general manager Chi-Hyun Kim, Major League Baseball requested more medical documentation “that we didn’t think would be necessary. Kim Ha-seong went for tests at three different hospitals on Monday and we sent those results to the KBO today.”

It’s been clear that Kim will be posted for months now. The issue isn’t expected to keep the star shortstop off the market for much longer, and he could be officially posted as early as Wednesday or Thursday. Once Kim is posted, MLB clubs will have a 30-day window for contract negotiations.

Given how many other notable shortstops are available either in free agency (i.e. Marcus Semien, Didi Gregorius, Andrelton Simmons) or trades (Francisco Lindor, and potentially Javier Baez or Trevor Story) this offseason, it’s possible this delay in Kim’s availability could somewhat hold up the rest of the shortstop market. Kim is the more intriguing members of the 2020-21 free agent class, as he is just 25 years old but already has six seasons of excellent numbers under his belt in the KBO League.

Though some Major League teams may view Kim as a second or third baseman (or as a super-utility type who can play all over the infield), Kim’s potential as an everyday shortstop makes him particularly valuable. The Blue Jays and Rangers are two of the teams reported to have interest in Kim thus far, which is indicative of how both contenders and non-contenders can view Kim as a long-term answer.

In addition to the contract itself, the team that signs Kim will also have to pay a transfer fee to the Kiwoom Heroes. The Heroes’ transfer fee will be 20 percent of the contract’s first $25MM in value, 17.5 percent of the next $25MM, and 15 percent of anything beyond the $50MM threshold.

Rangers Interested In Ha-Seong Kim

By Steve Adams | November 27, 2020 at 10:41am CDT

The Rangers have interest in star Korean infielder Ha-Seong Kim, MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan reports in his latest inbox column. The Kiwoom Heroes of the Korea Baseball Organization posted the 25-year-old Kim for Major League teams earlier this week.

While Kim has primarily played shortstop to this point in his career, he also spent a good chunk of time at third base this year after the Heroes brought Addison Russell over midway through the season. Kim is also capable of handling second base. As Sullivan points out, Kim checks some boxes for the Rangers by virtue of the fact that he’s a prime-aged player with the potential to provide an offensive upgrade in the infield without necessarily being boxed into one position at the time of signing.

As noted in our Rangers Offseason Outlook, Kim’s versatility indeed seems like a good fit for a Texas club that has openly expressed a desire to get younger. A pair of roadblocks at the two middle infield positions exist in shortstop Elvis Andrus and second baseman Rougned Odor, both of whom are signed for two more seasons. Andrus struggled through an injury-marred 2020 campaign, although he was a serviceable option at his position as recently as 2019 thanks to his strong glovework. Odor’s struggles have been far more persistent, however, and the question of whether the club will move on or drop him to a bench role becomes more prominent with each passing year.

Even if Texas is intent on keeping both stalwarts in place, Kim or Isiah Kiner-Falefa could be used as a multi-position utility piece. A pursuit of Kim wouldn’t necessarily be about winning immediately in 2021 so much as acquiring a long-term contributor, so if the Rangers feel he can be an everyday option at any of third base, shortstop or second base, there’s reason for the team to make a push for him and sort out playing time down the road.

The Rangers, of course, won’t be the only team in the mix for Kim; he’s also been linked to the Blue Jays already and will surely draw broader interest. Kim is an abnormally young free agent option for MLB teams, and after a strong showing early in his career, he’s broken out as a superstar-level performer in the KBO over the past two seasons.

Even as the KBO has become a slightly more pitcher-friendly setting in recent years, Kim has improved. Since Opening Day 2019, he’s slashed .307/.393/.500 with 62 doubles, three triples and 49 home home runs through 1247 plate appearances — including 30 long balls in 2020. He’s walked 145 times to just 148 strikeouts over that same two-year stretch and also gone 56-for-62 in stolen base attempts. Over the past two seasons, he’s been 41 percent better than a league-average hitter in the KBO, by measure of wRC+.

Whichever club signs Kim to a multi-year deal will need to pay a posting fee to the Heroes. That sum is dependent on the size of Kim’s contract and is on top of whatever money he’s guaranteed. The Heroes are entitled to a fee equal to 20 percent of the contract’s first $25MM in value, 17.5 percent of the next $25MM and 15 percent of anything money thereafter. Kim’s 30-day posting window began yesterday and will run through 5pm ET on Dec. 25. He’s free to sign at any point during that period and does not need to wait until the deadline to make a decision.

Latest On Blue Jays’ Free Agent Targets

By Mark Polishuk | November 24, 2020 at 2:24pm CDT

2:24PM: Toronto also has interest in J.T. Realmuto, according to Sports Grid’s Craig Mish (Twitter link). While the Jays have a fair amount of catching depth already on hand, Realmuto would obviously present a big upgrade over current starter Danny Jansen, backup Reese McGuire, and top prospect Alejandro Kirk. If the Blue Jays did sign Realmuto, it’s fair to assume the Jays would shop at least one of their in-house catchers to other teams.

12:32PM: For the second straight offseason, the Blue Jays are checking in on a wide range of free agent options. The club has already been linked to George Springer and DJ LeMahieu, and now The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal (subscription required) adds that Toronto has spoken with representatives for Michael Brantley and Justin Turner, and the Jays also made an offer to Kevin Gausman before Gausman accepted the Giants’ one-year, $18.9MM qualifying offer. Going beyond only established big leaguers, MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reports that the Jays have interest in Korean shortstop Ha-Seong Kim, noting that Toronto has “evaluated him closely.”

Beginning with the position players, Brantley, Turner, and Kim would each cost less than the likes of Springer or LeMahieu. MLBTR’s list of the offseason’s top 50 free agents had Brantley and Turner right next to each other in the No. 13 and 14 positions, projecting the two veterans for similar contracts — Brantley a two-year, $28MM pact and Turner for two years and $24MM. Kim ranked seventh on the list due to his younger age (25), projected for a five-year, $40MM deal and another $7.625MM in a posting fee to the KBO League’s Kiwoom Heroes.

Brantley turned 34 in May and is seemingly less of a positional need for the Jays since he has exclusively played as a left fielder or DH over the last five seasons. Toronto already has Lourdes Gurriel Jr. in left field and a Vladimir Guerrero Jr./Rowdy Tellez tandem penciled in for the first base and DH roles, so a Brantley signing would to hint that a trade could be in the offing. Guerrero has been vocal about wanting to play third base again, so conceivably the Jays could find room for Brantley without a trade, but it doesn’t seem too likely that the team would install Guerrero as a full-time option at the hot corner.

Turner or Kim would be the easier positional fit since either could immediately slide into the Blue Jays’ open third base spot. Turner just celebrated his 36th birthday yesterday and, like Brantley, continues to swing a powerful bat into his 30’s. A return to Los Angeles is certainly possible, however, as Rosenthal writes that Turner “still appears to be [the Dodgers’] first choice” in terms of infield additions, though they perhaps couldn’t be ruled out as a potential suitor for LeMahieu. While Turner’s positive coronavirus test during Game 6 of the World Series and subsequent post-game return to the field to celebrate with his Dodgers teammates adds an inescapably strange footnote to his career, Turner won’t face any league discipline for the breach of COVID-19 protocol.

Signing Kim would be perhaps the most intriguing move possible, as unlike Brantley or Turner, Kim would be seen as a long-term building block to a Toronto organization that is already stocked with young infield talent both on the MLB roster and in the farm system. While Kim could play third base immediately, he is also a well-regarded defensive shortstop, so the Blue Jays could experiment with trying Kim at short and moving current shortstop Bo Bichette to second or third base (with Cavan Biggio playing the other position).

Adding Kim might also made it more feasible for the Jays to trade one of their top infield prospects, with Jordan Groshans, Miguel Hiraldo, or Orelvis Martinez probably more likely to be moved than 2020 fifth-overall pick Austin Martin. Since Martin is also a multi-positional threat, the Jays might try to develop him as a center fielder if Kim is signed to bolster the infield picture. The Blue Jays (and the 29 other MLB teams) will get their first chance to directly speak with Kim after his 30-day negotiating window opens on November 26.

While possibilities abound on the position player side, pitching is Toronto’s chief focus this winter, so it isn’t surprising that they made an early pitch for Gausman. Rosenthal reports that the Jays offered Gausman a three-year deal worth roughly $40MM, though the right-hander instead opted for the one-year deal to remain in San Francisco. Should Gausman deliver another good season in 2021 and then return to the free agent market next winter, he’ll surely receive offers beyond the two years and $21.1MM he left on the table to accept the Giants’ qualifying offer.

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