NEW YORK — South Korean All-Star infielder Hyeseong Kim and the Dodgers agreed Friday to a $12.5 million, three-year contract, the team confirmed.
Kim’s deal includes team options for 2028 and 2029. His becomes the latest addition by the World Series champions in their offseason spending spree.
Kim’s 30-day posting window expired at 2 p.m. PT and the deal had to be finalized by then.
Kim, who turns 26 on Jan. 27, has played eight seasons in South Korea, the last six with the Seoul-based Kiwoom Heroes. The left-handed hitter set career highs with a .326 average, 11 home runs and 75 RBIs while stealing 30 bases.
Kim has a .304 career average with 37 homers, 386 RBIs and 211 stolen bases for the Nexen Heroes (2017-18) and Kiwoon.
He led the KBO League with 46 stolen bases in 2021, and has swiped a league-best 211 bases since 2018. Kim is considered an elite defender at multiple positions and won three straight KBO Fielding Awards from 2021-23 while playing four positions (second base, shortstop, third base and outfield) for Kiwoom.
The Dodgers could use him as a super utility player, depending on what other moves the team makes this winter. Kim’s arrival leaves the team with a crowded group of middle infield options entering next season (Gavin Lux, Miguel Rojas and Chris Taylor, with versatile Tommy Edman likely to spend most of his time in center field). The slick-fielding Rojas (who missed most of the postseason with an injury) and Taylor (coming off a poor season at the plate) are in the final year of their contracts.
Kim’s signing might also lessen the Dodgers’ need for to bring back utility man Kiké Hernández, the only position player from last year’s World Series roster who is not still under contract with the club.
The Dodgers will pay Kim’s South Korean club a $2 million posting fee, calculated as 20% of guaranteed money.
A supplemental fee would equal 15% of any earned bonuses, escalators and compensation from option years that are exercised or become guaranteed.
The Dodgers designated catching prospect Diego Cartaya for assignment to make room for Kim on the 40-man roster.
Coming off their second World Series title in five years, the Dodgers signed left-hander Blake Snell to a $182 million, five-year contract; kept infielder/outfielder Tommy Edman for $74 million over five seasons; reached a $17 million, two-year deal with outfielder Michael Conforto; retained right-hander Blake Treinen with a $22 million, two-year agreement; and inked a $66 million, three-year contract with outfielder Teoscar Hernández.