Attention is focusing on why Kim Hye-sung (26), who finally achieved his big league dream, chose the LA Dodgers after shaking off the highest offer of up to 22.8 billion won.
The Los Angeles Dodgers officially announced on the club's website on the 4th (Korea time) that they agreed to a three-year guarantee contract of $12.5 million (about 18.4 billion won) with utility Kim Hye-sung. With options for 2028 and 2029, the contract could increase to $22 million (about 32.4 billion won)."먹튀검증
If he makes his big league debut smoothly after passing the medical test, he will be the 28th Korean major leaguer and the fifth Korean major leaguer of the Dodgers after Park Chan-ho, Choi Hee-seop, Seo Jae-ung and Ryu Hyun-jin.
According to U.S. media outlets including Dodger Blue and Dodgers Tailgate, Kim has been offered a deal by five teams including the Los Angeles Angels, Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs. Among them, the Los Angeles Angels reportedly offered the largest amount of money at 28 million U.S. dollars for five years.
If local media reports are true, Kim gave up a whopping 15.5 million U.S. dollars and chose to go to the Dodgers. According to Dodger Blue, she also has no right to veto the Minor League. It is said that advice from Shohei Ohtani (31), a man from the same CAA sports agency, also played a part in the background. In fact, Ohtani welcomed Kim's contract by posting a Korean phrase reading "Welcome, my friend" on his SNS account.
However, Ohtani's advice alone cannot explain everything. "Considering the size of the contract, this deal is very challenging," scout A told Star News after learning about Kim's contract. "Kim Hye-seong must have known that this is her last chance to go to the Major League."
"There must have been other reasons than Otani. If the terms of the contract are similar and you want to challenge yourself anyway, it's best for you to be comfortable. If you look at the proposed teams, there are many clubs that are not familiar to Korean players. Rather than them, the Dodgers is located in the western part of the U.S. and it is a place where I feel comfortable (with more Koreans living). My friend Lee Jung-hoo is also nearby."
Kim Hye-sung (left) and Lee Jung-hoo when they were rookies.
Kim Hye-sung was allowed to post in the Major League by the Kiwoom Heroes before last season, and has expressed her willingness to challenge. Regardless of the size of the contract, he was determined to challenge himself, which was positively conveyed to the scouts of the Major League. The focus was on the (adaptable) period rather than the total amount of the contract, and the Kiwoom team also cheered for the team, so the total amount did not matter much.
The Dodgers boasts the best team in the Major League in terms of skill growth and environment. It has been at the top of the National League West for the past 12 years, excluding 2021, including winning the district championship for eight consecutive years since 2013. Naturally, the team consistently discovered rookie players and created a dynasty even though the nomination rights for rookie drafts were at the bottom every year.
Kim Hye-sung is also considered a promising player with great potential for development. Kim joined Nexen (currently Kiwoom) as the seventh-ranked player in the second round of the KBO Rookie Draft in 2017 and posted a batting average of 0.304 (3,043 hits in 3,433 times at bat) in 953 games during eight seasons, 37 homers, 386 RBIs, 591 runs and 211 steals, and an on-base percentage of 0.403 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) of 0.767. He has posted a batting average of .300 for the last four consecutive years, but he was not remarkable in terms of contact. However, his rich experience as a professional, outstanding athletic ability and work ethic, represented by fast feet, and his potential for future development were highly appreciated for his age.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who visited Korea in March last year for the Seoul series, said, "Our scouts liked the second baseman," referring to Kim Hye-sung, "He played well not only in the way he moved but also in the bat and defense."
Scout A also said, "I think I highly appreciated my athleticism at the Dodgers. When considering the possibility of development, athleticism is very important, and Kim Hye-sung is never behind Kim Ha-sung in this regard. There is a possibility that he will develop more in the U.S. than he does now."