The Korean free infielder Ha-Seong Kim has received “various” offers of at least five yearsaccording to ESPN’s leading journalist Daniel Kim. Major League Baseball Teams they have until January 1 to sign it, so today, Friday December 25, there are only seven days left. Although he hasn’t played a game in the majors, Kim, 25, entered the off-season as one of the most coveted free agents out there.
Young Kim played in the Korea Baseball Organization from 2014-20, cutting .294 / .373 / .493 with 133 home runs and 134 stolen bases in 3,664 at bats. KBO’s Kiwoom Heroes then placed Kim on MLB teams, and MLB Trade Rumors predicted that he would sign a $ 40 million five-year deal in a free agency.
So far, the Toronto Blue Jays and Texas Rangers are teams with a known interest in Kim. He joins Didi Gregorius, Marcus Semien and Andrelton Simmons as excellent free agent shortstop. While they are more proven than Kim, he could win them all if multiple five-year proposals are on the table. According to reporter Kim, the St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds are also in the fight for Ha-Seong Kim.
While some major league teams may see Kim as a second or third baseman (or as a super utility man who can play the whole frame), Kim’s potential as an everyday short stop makes him especially valuable.
In addition to the contract itself, the team that signs Kim will also have to pay a transfer fee to the Kiwoom Heroes. The Heroes’ transfer fee is 20 percent of the value of the first $ 25 million of the contract, 17.5 percent of the next $ 25 million, and 15 percent of anything above the $ 50 million threshold.