Hyeseong Kim, a Korean infielder, has reached an agreement with the Dodgers, the team said Friday. The pact has a three-year term and a $12.5 million guarantee, with an option for 2028–2029 that may raise the deal’s worth to $22 million.
The Dodgers placed former top catching prospect Diego Cartaya on assignment in response to Kim’s decision, as the team’s 40-man roster was full following Teoscar Hernández’s formal return on Friday.
In early December, Kim’s team, the Kiwoom Heroes, posted one of the KBO’s best hitters. That was the start of the 25-year-old second baseman’s 30-day window to sign with an MLB team. He has until Friday at 5 p.m. ET to do so. Kim was able to work with any team that was prepared to pay the Heroes the appropriate release fee as well as any additional fees that could be required.
During her eight seasons with the Heroes, Kim batted.304 and recorded an on-base percentage of.364. In the last seven seasons, Kim has also stolen at least 20 bases, with a high of 46 in 2021. Kim, a left-handed batter, hit.326/.383/.458 with 30 steals and 11 home runs for Kiwoom in 24
When the Dodgers faced the Heroes in an exhibition game in Seoul, South Korea, in March of last year before facing the Padres to start the season, they had a close-up look at Kim. That day, Kim destroyed L.A. righty Bobby Miller with a double off the wall.
Kim, who will turn 26 later this month, has won the KBO Golden Glove Award four times, which recognizes the top player overall at each position in the KBO. After winning the award as shortstop in 2021, he went on to win it at second base in each of the last three seasons.
Kim’s arrival adds another middle infielder to the Dodgers’ roster, which is a position group with an abundance of choices. The plan heading into 2025 has been for Mookie Betts to play shortstop and Gavin Lux to man second base, but others who could make appearances at those positions include Chris Taylor, Miguel Rojas and Tommy Edman.
Given that Edman should spend a lot of playing time in center field, Kim would seem to share the most roles with Taylor and Rojas out of all of them. At Friday’s news conference, general manager Brandon Gomes reaffirmed to Hernández that the Dodgers’ “mindset” is to have Lux at second base and Betts at shortstop, so Kim plays more of a utility role, utilizing his proven ability to play both middle-infield positions.
In order to make room for Kim, the Dodgers decided to split ways with Cartaya rather than eliminate their depth in that area, since they value having flexible defenders at their disposal.
With Will Smith under contract through 2033 and current top prospect Dalton Rushing vying for a spot in the major leagues, Cartaya, a previous MLB Pipeline Top 100 prospect, did not have a clear future with the Dodgers. Hunter Feduccia and Austin Barnes are also featured at catcher.
Cartaya retreated offensively after winning the Dodgers’ 2022 Minor League Player of the Year award. Last season, he made it to Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he hit.208 in 49 games with a.643 OPS and six home runs. Cartaya has not yet made an appearance in the Major Leagues as he enters his age-23 season.
