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Dodgers’ Blake Snell Makes Hyeseong Kim Admission

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Sam Bernardi | Last updated May 13, 2025 10:07 PM ET

Hyeseong Kim is here to stay.

The Los Angeles Dodgers’ offseason acquisition from Korea started the season with Triple-A Oklahoma City, but is becoming a fixture in manager Dave Roberts’ lineup.

Through his first 22 Big League at-bats, Kim is batting .318 with a .636 OPS and an 83 OPS+. All seven of his hits may be singles, but his plate discipline and bat-to-ball skills are already paying dividends. Plus, Kim has demonstrated his speed not only in the field but on the bags with two steals on two attempts.

Perhaps the most impactful element of Kim’s game is his defensive versatility. He has already seen time at second base (34 innings), center field (16 innings), and shortstop (two innings) and fits the Dodgers’ penchant for utility men (could he be the next Kiké Hernández/Chris Taylor?).

Kim’s play has not only earned the trust of Roberts but the admiration of his teammates, too. Here is what starting pitcher Blake Snell had to say via “Dodger Talk” on AM 570 L.A. Sports:

“His speed, he’s faster than I thought. His defense got a lot better from spring until now, and his hitting is actually better from spring until now. So there’s been a lot of improvement from him, which has been exciting to see. I’m excited to see his journey through the next month,” Snell said

“…But right now, watching him play has been a lot of fun. His energy, he’s always happy, he’s always excited about every day. So that’s really good to see,” Snell added.

Kim is only getting MLB run because of injuries to Tommy Edman and Teoscar Hernández, both of whom are on the 10-day injured list. But, with uncertainty surrounding each of their return dates, now is the time for Kim to establish himself on this team.

He is on a cheap, three-year, $12.5 million deal, so Roberts may not feel as compelled to play him over some of his higher-paid stars.

It is also an encouraging but far too small a sample size to make any definitive moves with Kim. But, should he keep up his stellar contract rates and contribute in a variety of ways, Roberts will have some tough decisions once his squad is fully healthy.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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