User talk:“Kim Hye-sung will be an interesting MLB player” Roberts receives rave reviews from the U.S. media
LA Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he was impressed by Kim Hye-sung after a special game against Korea at the "Major League World Tour Seoul Series" held at Gocheok Sky Dome on Wednesday. Kim Hye-sung played as the main second baseman of the Korean national team and showed off light movements on both sides of offense and defense.
After the game, Roberts said, "The second baseman stood out among the Korean fielders. Kim Hye-sung was a good hitter and moved well when he defended." Next, the Dodgers' scout team confessed that they had a good impression on Kim Hye-sung, creating a buzz on the day. Of course, he might have been polite to the opposing team's players, but it is also linked to the situation in which Kim Hye-sung announced his move to the Major League.
Kim Hye-sung, who started as the starting second baseman of the Korean team, hit all the hits in a two-day special match, and got a chance to perform in front of major league teams. She caught the attention of many officials by recording one hit from four times at bat in the game against the San Diego Padres on Thursday and one hit from three times at bat in the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday. In particular, she made a remarkable hit in the game on Saturday, which drew much attention. She left a hint that she might be able to adapt well to fastballs by Major League pitchers.
Kim Hye-sung hit a fastball from Dodgers starter Bobby Miller in the third inning with no outs and a runner on the first base. Miller is a young fire bowler who throws fast balls up to 160 km/h, but Kim Hye-sung accurately caught Miller's fastball of 157 km/h and made a double that landed in the right outfield. Kim Hye-sung's double paved the way for Korea to score two runs.
John Morosi, a panelist on the Major League Network and one of the Major League sources, expressed interest in Kim Hye-sung after the game, broadcasting manager Dave Roberts' words that "our scout likes second baseman." Morosi praised Kim Hye-sung, who came to the Major League this offseason, for hitting Bobby Miller's 96-mph fastball and hitting a double that fell next to right field. "Kium Heroes' shortstop and second baseman know that he can handle fast speeds."
NBC Sports also said after the game on Monday, "Dodgers coach Dave Roberts said after the game that his team scouts were very impressed with Kim." Kim is a second baseman for the KBO Kiwoom Heroes and also plays for South Korea. On Monday, he hit a double off Bobby Miller's 96 mph fastball, an impressive showcase of how he can handle his fastball. Kim is expected to post in the Major League after the 2024 season, and he could be an interesting center infielder by the time the offseason begins
The biggest challenge for fielders from Korea or Japan is fastball response. This is because the Major League's average speed is nearly 5 kilometers higher than that of the KBO League. Basically, if you don't handle this, you will have a hard time surviving the Major League. Park Byung-ho, who was actually the best hitter in the KBO League, failed in the end because he was weak on fastballs after moving to Minnesota. On the contrary, Kang succeeded by showing strength in fastballs, and Kim Ha-sung was able to overcome this weakness and increase his batting ability.
Kim has proven her ability to precisely hit a ball 157 kilometers away with a double. As it is not easy to create a situation of 157 kilometers away in the KBO League, there are not many opportunities to verify this, but a sample was created in this special match. For Kim, being able to join Team Korea and play against Major League teams has raised the possibility that she will be considered a piece of luck. The team also received better reviews, which could serve as an opportunity to boost the player's confidence.
Kim Hye-sung, who graduated from Dongsan High School and was nominated by Nexen (currently Kiwoom) in the second round (7th overall) in 2017, is said to have steadily grown by receiving many opportunities since his rookie season. In 2018, the second year since his debut, he appeared in 136 games and emerged as the starting player of his team. He boasts of defensive utility that can play both second base and shortstop, and is one of the best pitchers in the league. He stole 181 bases in 826 games in the KBO League.
The second base defense is considered one of the best in the KBO League, and although he was somewhat unstable in the shortstop position, he is said to be able to improve in the future. Some Major League scouts believe that Kim Hye-sung can also play more than the Major League's average defense in center field. He is highly likely to have value in the Major League as a multiplayer in infield and outfield. His foot itself is highly regarded in the Major League. There are quite a few compliments that he can steal more than 30 bases if his on-base percentage is supported.
"Attacking was our weakness, but it is also continuing to grow. Kim has long attracted attention from Major League teams, but her recent interest in the player has something to do with this. Kim recorded the batting average of 0.304 in 2021, 0.318 in 2022, and 0.335 in 2023, while her offense capability also rose above average compared to league comparison. Although she did not receive high marks for her offense capability, she has continued to improve as she ranked at the top last year. Her weaknesses include her lack of capacity and relatively many strikeouts despite being a contact player, but if she shows improvement this year, her final scouting report may change. In particular, her impressive performance in the game against Dodgers could also contribute to her increase in popularity.
