Through 65 plate appearances with Triple-A Oklahoma City, Kim is slashing .293/.359/.603 with three home runs, seven doubles, a triple, 16 runs, 13 RBI and four stolen bases.
After signing Kim to a three-year, $12.5 million contract in early January, the Dodgers opted to have the Korean infielder begin his professional career in the minors. Kim has taken the assignment in stride, as he's collected at least one hit in 11 of his 14 contests with OKC so far. Kim isn't projected to be much of a power hitter in the majors, but he's defied that expectation of late, smashing three home runs -- including a 462-footer -- over his past three games. There was always a strong likelihood that Kim would see the majors this season, and his time could come relatively soon if he continues to succeed against minor-league pitching.
The Dodgers optioned Kim to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday.
Kim began spring training with a chance to win a spot in the Dodgers' infield unit. However, he slashed just .207/.303/.310 across 33 plate appearances during Cactus League play, so the team will send him to Triple-A to continue developing. The 26-year-old was a career .304 hitter during his eight seasons in Korea, so there's still plenty of reason to believe he'll contribute for the big-league club eventually.
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Dodgers' Hyeseong Kim: Homers in spring game Saturday
Rotowire
Kim went 1-for-2 with a solo home run, a walk and three total runs scored in Saturday's Cactus League win over the Giants.
Kim had been struggling mightily entering Saturday, collecting just one hit -- an infield single -- through 14 at-bats. However, he turned things around a bit against San Francisco with a solo home run to left field in the fifth inning. The Dodgers have been working with Kim to revamp his swing in order to try to unlock more power, which is likely at least partially responsible for his early-spring struggles. It's possible that the 25-year-old will begin the season in the minors to provide more time and less pressure for him to work on his swing mechanics.
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Dodgers' Hyeseong Kim: Getting used to revamped swing
Rotowire
The Dodgers have "completely revamped" Kim's swing this spring, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports, with Kim saying the swing is "20, 30 percent to where I want it to be."
The Dodgers want to emphasize Kim's superb contact ability but also believe he has more power to tap into than he showed during his time in the Korea Baseball Organization. While a new swing could potentially unlock more upside in his bat, it is a work in progress and seemingly increases the chances he could begin the season in the minors, something manager Dave Roberts conceded earlier this week is a possibility. Kim is 1-for-12 with a 5:2 K:BB in his first five Cactus League games. If he does begin the year in the minors, it could lead to the Dodgers deploying Tommy Edman at second base and Andy Pages in center field.
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Dodgers' Hyeseong Kim: Could open year in minors
Rotowire
Kim could open the year in the minors as he continues to make swing adjustments, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports.
Kim has drawn rave reviews for his infield defense, but he was a light-hitting player even in the KBO, where his career high in homers was 11. Given the Dodgers have a bevy of strong options, they can afford to ease Kim into things against Triple-A pitching if they think he will be overmatched at the plate in the majors. Tommy Edman's versatility could allow him to play second or shortstop alongside Mookie Betts while Andy Pages potentially takes on a prominent role in the outfield.
Manager Dave Roberts said Saturday that the Dodgers will look to use Kim in center field during spring training in addition to second base and shortstop, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.
Kim has a bit of experience playing in the outfield from his time in Korea, though he was only ever used in the corners. The Dodgers -- eager to add another lefty-hitting option in center field -- believe the 26-year-old's speed will allow him to succeed in the new role, but Kim is still expected to serve primarily as a second baseman once the regular season begins.
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