Hyeseong Kim’s transition to Major League Baseball was never expected to make headlines this quickly — but 13 games in, the 29-year-old South Korean utility man is rewriting expectations with each at-bat.
Signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers to a three-year, $12.5 million contract after eight seasons in the KBO, Kim was initially slotted for Triple-A Oklahoma City. The plan was for a slow, careful transition: adapt to the American game, refine his mechanics, and develop under less pressure. “You always need to have time to make adjustments and get adapted,” Kim explained via interpreter Joe Lee. “After that, I was just following the directions of what the team has been teaching me. It’s been coming along.”
In Triple-A, Kim’s numbers were modest — a .252/.328/.470 slash line with five home runs and 19 RBIs. But an ankle injury to Tommy Edman and a setback for Teoscar Hernández opened the door to the Majors on May 3. What was expected to be a temporary stay has turned into a breakout.
Hyeseong Kim Forcing Los Angeles Dodgers’ Hand with Surprising, Spectacular MLB Debut
In 13 games, Kim is hitting an eye-popping .452 (14-for-31) with a .485 OBP, a home run, five RBIs, three stolen bases, and a staggering 203 wRC+. He boasts a 0.5 WAR and reached base in nine consecutive plate appearances — a streak that included seven hits and two walks and tied Corey Seager (2015) for the longest such run by a Dodgers rookie since the team moved to L.A. in 1958 (per Elias Sports Bureau).
“He just kind of has a magic wand right now,” said manager Dave Roberts. “He’s taking good at-bats and putting the ball in play. And when you can do that, good things can happen.”
Beyond the numbers, Kim’s presence has had a trickle-up effect. Shohei Ohtani, who had only seven plate appearances with runners in scoring position through the first 17 games, now has 29 RBIs — five of which have driven in Kim, more than any other teammate. In a lineup stacked with star power, Kim’s ability to flip the order and create traffic on the bases has been transformative.
Of course, regression is expected. His xwOBA trails his actual wOBA, suggesting some good fortune, and his slash line is likely unsustainable over time. Still, the Dodgers face a decision. Edman and Hernández will return soon, and conventional roster moves would mean sending Kim (or James Outman) back to OKC. That would provide Kim regular playing time but interrupt his rhythm — and perhaps his confidence.
“You could argue that Hyeseong should be playing six or seven days a week,” Roberts admitted. “Or you could be arguing that being here around our guys is more beneficial.”
It’s a tough call. Optioning Kim might make developmental sense, but with veteran bench players like Chris Taylor and Miguel Rojas struggling, his production is hard to ignore.
For now, Kim is taking it day by day. “I’m just going to play baseball,” he said. “When I’m on the field, I’m just going to play my baseball, try to get on base. It’s hard to speculate, hard to predict what’s going to happen in the future.”
If he keeps playing like this, the Dodgers’ future may have more room in it for Hyeseong Kim than they originally planned.