The Kiwoom Heroes of the Korea Baseball Organization will post star shortstop Ha-Seong Kim for Major League clubs this winter, MLBTR has learned. He’d previously voiced a desire to be posted, and the team plans to honor those wishes this winter. All 30 Major League clubs will have the opportunity to bid on the infielder, who’ll turn just 25 years old next week.
Kim’s youth sets him apart from most other players who have made the jump from the KBO (or Japan’s NPB) to the Major Leagues. Current rules in the KBO stipulate that a player cannot be posted until he has accrued seven years of service time. Unrestricted free agency is granted after nine years. Kim’s first full season in the KBO came at just 18 years of age, however, which has him on pace to become available to MLB clubs a few years sooner than most of his peers. He’ll still meet the minimum age (25) and experience (at least six years) requirements set by Major League Baseball in order to be considered a professional rather than an amateur, meaning he can sign a Major League deal of any length and any amount.
While Kim didn’t hit much in that aforementioned rookie season — not surprising given his age — he’s been an average or better bat each year since, by measure of wRC+. However, it’s been the past two years in which Kim has taken his game to a new level. Baseball America’s Kyle Glaser wrote back in early May that Kim would be a Top 100 prospect if he signed at that point, and that was before Kim built on his 2019 breakout with a .304/.396/.522 slash in his first 551 plate appearances in 2020.
Dating back to Opening Day 2019, Kim is a .306/.392/.505 hitter — good for a 141 wRC+. In 2020, Kim has slugged a career-high 27 homers, walked more often than he’s struck out (67 to 58) and gone a perfect 21-for-21 in stolen bases. Over the past two seasons, he’s swiped 64 bags in 68 tries. Kim has also won multiple Gold Glove Awards for his work at shortstop in Korea and has some experience at third base. Given his age and 2019-20 breakout, he should draw interest from a wide range of Major League teams.
For those who need a refresher or who are unfamiliar with the posting process, the latest set of rules agreed upon between MLB and the KBO stipulate that all 30 clubs will be able to negotiate with Kim. The posting fee paid to the Heroes will be tied directly to the size of the contract signed by Kim. It is a separate sum that is paid out to the Heroes as opposed to an amount that is subtracted from Kim’s eventual contract. A signing team would pay 20 percent of the contract’s first $25MM to the Heroes, plus 17.5 percent of the next $25MM and an additional 15 percent on any dollars guaranteed beyond $50MM.
With regard to contractual options and incentives, those clauses are also subject to subsequent fees. A Major League team would only be immediately responsible for posting/release fees on the guaranteed portion of the contract. But if Kim’s new team in the Majors exercised a club option for the 2025 or 2026 season, for instance, that team would owe a supplemental fee to the Heroes once that option is picked up.
Kim’s forthcoming addition to the 2020-21 class of free agent shortstops adds some youth to a group that is headlined by Didi Gregorius, Marcus Semien, Andrelton Simmons and Jonathan Villar. Of that bunch, only Gregorius enjoyed a quality year by his standards, while each of the other three will be hoping for rebounds (to varying extents).
My guess would be Jays…around the same age as the rest of their young core, could use some help at third or even Short if they moved Bichette to 2B.. Money to spend. And it can’t hurt that they have Ryu on their team. I’m sure most team could use him though.
Sign this man Texas. You want young talent? Well you don’t have to trade for him, and it’ll replace a position of need. Do it. Move on from Odor, and maybe Andrus if you can (though I think the latter stays). I’d love to see IKF and Ha-Seong on the right side of the diamond. Ha-Seong, Taveras, IKF, Solak, Guzman, Huff, Trevino, and heck even Gallo. That’s a youth movement. Though with all those young guys, I think Andrus would stay as a bench piece.
Another layer to this is that I do not think Woodward can handle this young of a team. He is a bad leader. I really want to see Jeff Mathis become our new manager because not only has he practically been a manager these past two years, he knows the team, and I love his attitude when he’s on the field.
he’s played more 3B recently as well. given the number of SS on the market he may fit better as a 3B option. if he sticks out west i could see the Giants, Dodgers, Seattle, or Texas taking a look given current holes at 3B/SS or holes that will form after the 2021 season. maybe even the Nats take a look if there is mutual interest.
Yeah, IKF can move to SS if we need him to. He’s actually better defensively at short, and despite that it looks like he’s going to win a GG at third this season lol. Dude’s a monster defensively.
its good to see him doing as well as he has been. certainly underrated coming up.
Phillies QO Didi and stash Kim in AAA for the year.
i think Kim would object to that
If he can play 3rd for a year or even spend some time at SS and 3B Baltimore should be in the mix for him. Rio Ruiz is not the answer and Iglesias won’t be around much longer.
that really just depends on Kim’s wantingness to play for them. East Coast tesm that isnt competing yet hurts their case.
True, they have went into Korea before though. They were able to sign Chen and Kim years ago.
Age wise he’s right in line with what they have coming up also. Mountcastle, Adley, Santander, Hayes, Mullins. It could be a really good fit.
if he’s willing to wait a few years, because i dont see them being in the race until at least 2022.
Angels should take a hard look at this guy. Probably cheaper than Simmons.
With Simmons coming off consecutive seasons marred by problems in the same ankle and some deteriorated numbers on both sides of the ball, I don’t think that’s true. Kim is six years younger; it’ll be easier for a team to dream on him than it will be for a team to dream on Simba returning to elite glove and above-average bat.
He won’t sign for just a Seong…
I’ll show myself out.
Cards need a third baseman until Gorman’s ready. Or he could play short and move dejong to third. Just as long as matt carp plays 0 third base moving forward. Between him, fowler, bader and oneill, next year is going to be rough unless they get creative. This kid could definately help the youth movement
Go get him Tigers. Move Willie Castro to 2b, Niko to 3B. Sign McCann and Springer. Add a depth starter who’s healthy. Viola!
I once had hopes and aspirations like you, and now I’m a Rangers fan. Oh I remember 2019… such a normal, nice year. It was free agency time, and I wanted the Rangers to sign Rendon, Keuchel, Chirinos, and Castellanos… But that didn’t happen. No, we traded for Kluber (oof), and our payroll that was supposed to shoot up in 2020 instead got “shot up” by the additions of Todd Frazier and Robinson Chirinos. Whoopee…
I’m just messing with you, I would like to see teams like the Tigers and Orioles starting to emerge from their re-builds though.
I’d think he’d fit the Mariners as well. Maybe work him in at second base to start and then you can go from there after next season. We will have Seager likely a FA at that point and you’d have a good idea if Crawford can hit enough at the ML level.
I don’t know what he is expected to sign for, but if it’s a modest price, I think the Cubs should fo for him. 1.. With the stolen bases and high contact rate, he looks like the leadoff hitter they have been missing. If Theo doesn’t trade players like Javy Baez, he could play 2nd and Kim short. 2.. If they trade Bryant, he could play 3rd. Sounds pretty versitile, but with all the salry coming off the book for the Cubs, they could afford him depending on what direction they plan on going in.
The Detroit Tigers must go after this young man. They can afford him, having only have Miggy’s mega-salary for 2021; no other financial commitments. They will have the pitching to compete starting in 2022. The beginnings of an offense are coming together. The most glaring weaknesses are C and SS. Willi Castro appears to be a capable hitter, but may not have the defensive chops at SS. He and Isaac Paredes can duke it out for 3B/2B. I don’t see a star-caliber SS in the system. Go for it Al (GM Avila) or tender your resignation.
Jays got money to throw around, I’d take a stab at him. Bo is a great player and I imagine can be a decent shortstop some day. But do we wait for that moment or do we get this kid who is a GG at short. Hell why not even try Bo at third? Biggio doesn’t have the arm for it and he’s a great second basemen. Even if you get this kid and let the upcoming shortstops/third base kids develop a little more in the minors. I can dream right? Haha on a serious note though Jays have a Korean connection with RYU so he doesn’t hurt to talk to the heroes
Remember earlier this year when we had to watch KBO games in the dove blind?
No?
Well…I do lol.
Anyway, during those times I saw this kid play a few times. It’s so hard to tell how his skills will translate to MLB, of course.
But he was really fun to watch.
I like those power/speed guys on offense & he definitely has glove.
If DJ proves to expensive for the Yankees, Kim could be a possible fall back plan.
I feel like he would fit so well in Texas, I just hope we offer him a deal.
Chatter has been out there of trading Voight after his breakout year for pitching assets (high end minor league prospects), sign and move DJ to first, move Gleyber back to 2nd since he is clearly not a SS, and viola! sign Kim.
Not that there been no talent come out of the KBO but it’s hard to how they’ll perform offensively against MLB quality pitching.
Ask the Twins how they liked Nishioka? Need a trained eye to compare Apples to Apples when acquiring players from other leagues around the world.
Well maybe the pirates spend to win some goodwill from their fans….. never mind dumb comment
cubs should go after him
The Reds will have interest. Semien and DiDi will cost $15-$20M a year each for multiple years. A guy like this will be much less.