Major Leaguer resume Vol.62/ WBC Player’s resume Vol.48: Ha-Seong Kim (San Diego Padres) : Major Candidate for Team South Korea: “Korean alert athlete!”

Story:
Today's player's resume concerns the San Diego Padres' infielder, Ha-Seong Kim. Kim is a Korean-born player and will play for Team Korea in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.


The KAISPO's baseball analyst said,
"Ha-Seong Kim is an agile shortstop in both hitting and fielding and was one of the Padres players to exciting San Diego in the 2022 postseason.

He has a sharp level swing, scooping it under the ball to deliver it over the infielders and hitting a low ball to make a solid first bound to get on base. He also agilely moves around the diamond to catch the ball and quickly throws to nip a pinch in the bud. He is excellent at making a split-second decision to have non-record contributions.

Because Xander Bogaerts joined San Diego from Boston this off-season, he may change his position in the 2023 season, but I want to see him full of spirit and agility again."
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The Nexen Heroes acquired Kim in the 3rd round of the 2014 Korean Baseball Organization(KBO) draft. He played for the team for seven seasons, slashing .294/.373/.493 with 133 home runs and 575 RBIs.

The right-handed hitter signed with the San Diego Padres on December 31st, 2020. Kim made his big league debut with the Padres in the opening game of the 2021 season as a pinch hitter for Emilio Pagan against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park on April 1st, 2021. On April 3rd, he started the game for the first time as a 2nd baseman and batting sixth, going 2 for 4 with his first career hit(single to the left off LHP Caleb Smith) to earn his first career RBI. On April 10th, Ha-Seong hit the first homer of his career into the left stands off RHP Jordan Lylesto to tie the game at three in the fifth against the Texas Rangers. He finished his rookie season with .202, eight long balls, and 34 RBIs in 117 games. He increased the opportunities to play as a shortstop after Fernando Tatis Jr. got injured and was suspended for 80 games due to a failed drug test.

In 2022, he marked .251 with 11 home runs, 59 RBIs, and 12 stolen bases, appearing in 150 contests mainly as a shortstop.

At the end of the 2022 season, Ha-Seong Kim has recorded .235 with 19  homers and 93 RBIs over 267 games in his major league career.
(MLB No.332 KAISPO No.1512)