Dodgers Option High-Profile Offseason Signing to Minors

The 26-year-old South Korean came over from the KBO League with a legitimate chance of earning the Opening Day starting second baseman job. Los Angeles signed Kim to a three-year, $12.5-million contract this offseason.

The Dodgers moved on from Gavin Lux, and Mookie Betts appears set to play most games shortstop in 2025.

Kim is a tremendous defender, as demonstrated by his four KBO Golden Glove Awards and his versatility in playing all over the diamond. He is reminiscent of other Los Angeles utility men like Chris Taylor, Kiké Hernández, and Miguel Rojas.

However, this overlap has created a bit of a logjam for Kim. While struggling at the plate during spring training, Kim did not impress manager Dave Roberts enough to earn a spot on the Tokyo roster.

Kim was never lauded for his bat in South Korea. From 2017 to 2024, he posted a .304 batting average but hit just 37 home runs over 953 games. In spring training, he batted .207 with a dreadful .613 OPS through 33 plate appearances.

The infielder likely won't have great power, but he needs to show more as a contact hitter against MLB pitching.

He does have some speed, recording 20 or more steals in each KBO season from 2018 to 2024 and surpassing 30 steals four times.

Kim’s speed and defense make him worthy of at least an MLB bench job this year, but his path to regular playing time is unclear until he addresses the issues at the plate.

It's not like Los Angeles offered Kim a huge payday, but fans will still want to see their KBO graduate sooner rather than later.