SEOUL, The Kiwoom Heroes announced Tuesday they will post their All-Star second baseman Kim Hye-seong for Major League Baseball (MLB) clubs after the 2024 season.
The Heroes said Kim met with the team’s general manager, Ko Hyung-wook, earlier Tuesday to formally express his desire to take his talent to the majors, once he completes his seventh full season in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) in 2024. The management then agreed to grant Kim his wish to play in the bigs.
KBO players need authorization from their clubs to be posted for MLB teams after they have seven seasons under their belt. Players may also choose to test the market in free agency, though it will require eight full seasons in the South Korean league.
Soon after the 2023 season, Kim had said in multiple media interviews that he would like to follow in the footsteps of a few ex-Heroes teammates and reach the big leagues via posting.
The Heroes had previously sent three players to MLB through posting: shortstop Kang Jung-ho to the Pittsb
urgh Pirates in November 2014, first baseman Park Byung-ho to the Minnesota Twins in November 2015, shortstop Kim Ha-seong to the San Diego Padres in December 2020 and outfielder Lee Jung-hoo to the San Francisco Giants in December 2023.
“After some internal discussion, we decided to respect the player’s wish to play in the majors and offer our full support,” the Heroes said in a statement.
Kim, who will turn 25 next week, thanked the team for granting him the opportunity and said he will try to make the most of it.
“Just challenging myself to make it to such a big stage means a lot to me,” Kim said. “Since the team’s going to support me, I will try to have a great season and do the best I can like I’ve always done.”
In 2016, Kim was named the top high school hitter in South Korea and was drafted by the Heroes in the second round that same year.
He made only 16 appearances in his first season with the club in 2017 and became their primary second baseman in 2017. Over the ensuing seasons, Kim developed in
to one of the KBO’s premier defenders with improving bat-to-ball skills.
In 2021, the Heroes’ first season without Kim Ha-seong as their shortstop, Kim Hye-seong took over as the new shortstop, before returning to second base for 2022. Kim Hye-seong has also logged time at third base and both corner outfield positions.
While he will never be mistaken for a power hitter, with only 26 career home runs in 826 games, Kim carries a career .300 batting average. He batted a career-best .335 last year, and has recorded a league-best 520 hits and 105 steals during the 2021-23 period. He has raised his batting average in every season of his career so far.
The speedster has been in the top 10 in steals in each of the past four seasons, including a league-best 46 steals in 2021.
Kim has won one Golden Glove as shortstop and two Golden Gloves as second baseman as the best overall player at his position. He won the inaugural KBO Fielding Award at second base in 2023.
Source: Yonhap News Agency