From Dodger Insider Magazine: Kim finds the Dodger way
The Korean infielder brings versatility, speed and enthusiasm to the Dodgers
Editor’s note: This story is taken from the pages of Dodger Insider magazine.
by Megan Garcia
The newcomer knew he crushed his first career Major League home run. The feel of his bat connecting on a fastball from A’s starter Gunnar Hoglund signaled it before the strobing celebratory lights at Dodger Stadium did.
His solo homer helped turn the tide in the Dodgers’ 9–3 win over the A’s on May 14. The fly ball tied the game in the fifth and set up the Dodgers for six unanswered runs in a comeback victory.
Hyeseong Kim embodied the “Dodger way” in that win — his self-described trait in powering the Dodgers to come out on top in a game. He credits Chan Ho Park and Hyun-Jin Ryu, two Dodger Korean pitchers he grew up respecting, for defining it.
Now playing for his childhood-favorite team, Kim is dedicated to helping the Dodgers win in any way possible. He has an abundance of tools — speed, hitting, defense and as the A’s learned, some power. His hitting was the first item on the agenda to be addressed by the Dodgers.
There were struggles in Spring Training as Kim acclimated to Major League pitching after eight seasons in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO). But after 131 plate appearances in the Minor Leagues, the infielder/outfielder evolved into an improved version of himself.
“He’s just controlling the strike zone a lot better. I thought there was a lot more chase on breaking balls down below (in Spring Training) than there has been here,” says manager Dave Roberts. “He’s swinging at strikes, taking balls, he’s hitting to all fields. And that’s something that we were hoping to see.”
The 26-year-old says it’s still too early to see how he’s changed as a player from his years in the KBO. In the span of eight seasons, he won four Gold Glove awards (three at second base and one at shortstop) and led the league in 2021 with 46 stolen bases. He finished his KBO career with 211 stolen bases.
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He also slashed .304/.364/.403/.766 with 37 homers and 386 RBI in his KBO career.
It’s a high standard to measure up to, but one that is in Kim’s realm of possibilities — because he’s done it before.
“You’re talking about a double- plus runner, really good utility player that can play all over the diamond with some real upside to the bat,” said Brandon Gomes, Dodger executive vice president and general manager when Kim signed on Jan. 3. “We saw him last year when we were in Korea and (tracked) him. The ability to add somebody with that talent plus upside felt like it’s a really good piece for us.”
There was an expected learning curve for Kim. Pitching velocity is generally higher in the Major Leagues compared to the KBO. So, his preparation for the big leagues began at the start of the 2024 season.
Kim would shorten the pitching distance in the batting cages and instruct the pitcher to throw harder than they normally would. It simulated MLB velocity. But once he landed in the United States, Kim knew his bat would continue to be a work in progress.
“I had faith in the Dodgers coaching staff and the department. I knew I lacked in different areas of my swing,” Kim says. “With all the analytical data on my swing, they were able to address my problems.”
The Dodgers pinpointed to his lower half. Much of Kim’s strength comes from his legs, so they had him adjust his bat position to create a directed path to the ball while his lower half strides toward the pitcher, rather than over-rotate.
Kim worked out the kinks in his modified swing in Triple-A Oklahoma City. His time there served as a good introduction to life in the States, but his focus was improving his chances of joining the Dodgers.
“I was trying to keep doing what the team had taught me — the hitting directions, hitting mechanics. I was just trying to work consistently,” Kim says. “I discovered better hitting mechanics in terms of adjustments. I developed (as a hitter) with the consistent work.”
Kim batted .252 and had a .798 OPS in 28 Triple-A games. Power at the plate was also a newfound quality with his adjusted swing. He hit five homers and eight doubles with Oklahoma City in a month. His KBO career high was 11 home runs through 127 games in 2024.
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His swing translated early to MLB.
Kim is batting .382/.425/.544/.969 with eight multi-hit games and two home runs in 30 games. On May 31, Kim became the first player in Major League Baseball’s Modern Era (since 1901) with four hits, a home run, an unassisted double play and an outfield assist in the same game. His ability to get on base and steal a base from the No. 9 spot in the lineup has also created opportunities for leadoff hitter Shohei Ohtani.
“I think he just brings a dynamic that we don’t have — foot speed, bat to ball, the ability to steal a base, the defensive versatility, and also just the youthful enthusiasm,” Roberts says. “He’s happy to be here. He’s always engaged, players like him, and when you have a veteran-laden roster, it is nice to have that youth, that energy on the bench.”
From Dodger Insider Magazine: Kim Finds the Dodger Way was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.