Hyeseong Kim has made a strong impression in his second big league spring camp with the Dodgers before leaving for Team Korea's World Baseball Classic participation. In four Cactus League games, he hit 6-for-13 with a home run and showed defensive versatility. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts praised Kim's progress as he heads to Pool C play in Tokyo.
Glendale, Ariz. -- Hyeseong Kim departed the Los Angeles Dodgers' spring training camp after Thursday's 7-6 victory over the Chicago White Sox at Camelback Ranch, joining Team Korea for the World Baseball Classic. Kim featured in four exhibition games, batting 6-for-13 with five singles, driving in five runs, scoring three, and stealing two bases. His standout moment came in the final at-bat, a go-ahead solo home run—his first of the spring.
On Wednesday, Kim started in center field, a position still new to him, and recorded two impressive running catches, leveraging his elite speed. This versatility could aid his case for a second-base role, as he competes with prospect Alex Freeland amid utility man Tommy Edman's absence due to right ankle surgery. Edman, valued for his multi-positional skills, will start the season on the injured list.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts commended Kim's camp performance. "He's had a great camp so far," Roberts said. "I just love the way he plays the game. Home run was icing on the cake... But I wish him well, and can't wait to get him back."
Roberts also noted improvements in Kim's swing. "I see him handling secondary pitches better, not chasing balls down below the strike zone," he added. "He’s hitting some velocity... I think he’s closed some of those holes [in his swing]."
Kim remained focused on fundamentals. "I don't think there's any full satisfaction that comes from [spring results]," he said through interpreter Dean Kim. "I'm just trying to focus on the things that I'm working on. Just working on my movement quality and my swing mechanics."
In his 2023 rookie season, Kim posted a .280/.314/.385 slash line over 71 games but faded after a hot start, partly due to left shoulder bursitis that sidelined him. He reported feeling "about 70 percent comfortable" with swing adjustments made last year, emphasizing better lower-half engagement this offseason.
Team Korea faces Pool C from March 5-10 at Tokyo Dome against Japan, Chinese Taipei, Australia, and Czechia. If they do not advance, Kim could return to camp with about 10 days of exhibitions left. The Dodgers will monitor his WBC play, noting the pitching level may be lower than Major League standards, but expecting his mechanical tweaks to carry over.
