The Dodgers Way, which primarily conveys news about the Los Angeles Dodgers, praised Kim Hye-sung, who is active with the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers, noting that he has the potential to become like Tommy Edman due to his improved power-hitting ability.
Kim Hye-sung, who graduated from Dongsan High School, began his professional career after being selected in the second round of the 2017 draft by Nexen Heroes. By last year, he had appeared in a total of 953 games in the first team, with a batting average of .343, totaling 1,043 hits, 37 home runs, 386 RBIs, 591 runs, 211 stolen bases, and an OPS of .767.
From 2021 to 2024, Kim Hye-sung received one Golden Glove for shortstop and three Golden Gloves for second base, and he has been called a regular member of the national team, participating in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC), the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, the 2023 Asia Professional Baseball Championship (APBC), and the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC).
Kim Hye-sung successfully completed last season with a batting average of .326 in 127 games, totaling 166 hits, 11 home runs, 75 RBIs, 90 runs, 30 stolen bases, and an OPS of .841. He pursued an entry into Major League Baseball through the posting system and signed a contract with the Dodgers for a maximum of $22 million over 3+2 years.
Kim Hye-sung plays various positions such as second baseman, shortstop, and center fielder, and while his speed is a strong point, he was not satisfactory in terms of offensive power. With a batting average of .207 in spring training (29 at-bats, 6 hits), one home run, three RBIs, six runs, and two stolen bases, he failed to make the team for the Tokyo series and started this season in Triple-A. Manager Dave Roberts noted that Kim Hye-sung needs to modify his batting stance.
The Dodgers Way emphasized that Kim Hye-sung has started this season in Triple-A and is improving in his offensive aspects. The media reported, "The belief that Kim Hye-sung will replace Andy Pages is gradually growing."
On the 12th, Kim Hye-sung hit his first home run of the season in an away game against Round Rock Express (Triple-A affiliated with Texas Rangers), followed by hitting a home run in consecutive games on the 13th. The media noted that "Kim Hye-sung was a player who had only 40 home runs in the KBO League."
The media also stated, "The most ideal scenario is for Kim Hye-sung to handle all positions like Tommy Edman and show unexpected power-hitting ability." Edman, who had only 13 home runs in his personal best season, has notably improved his power-hitting, with six home runs as of the 14th. The media predicted that Kim Hye-sung also has a high possibility of becoming like Edman.
The Dodgers Way stated, "Kim Hye-sung has appeared in 14 games this season in Triple-A, recording a batting average of .290 with an OPS of .943. Except for three games, he has produced hits in every game. Although recording 17 strikeouts out of 62 at-bats is somewhat concerning, he has grown enough to give the belief that the day to replace Pahes is approaching."
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