Possible Seattle Mariners Target Projected as 'Everyday Player' by Publication
The Seattle Mariners so far have made just one major league acquisition in the offseason — a trade for corner infielder Austin Shenton with the Tampa Bay Rays for cash considerations.
Mariners President of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto has said publicly that first base, second base and third base are positions of need. And aside from some trade rumors, mostly involving veteran starting pitcher Luis Castillo, there hasn't been any major league additions since the Shenton trade.
Seattle has also been tied throughout the offseason to free agent middle infielder out of the Korean Baseball Organization, Hyeseong Kim. And national publication Baseball America had a favorable scouting report on the former Kiwoom Heroes Gold Glove winner in a story written by Kyle Glaser:
Kim is a pure lefthanded hitter with a natural feel for contact. He is a twitchy athlete with a quick, compact swing and drives balls through the middle of the field with surprising strength. He recognizes pitches, manages the strike zone and consistently barrels balls with his excellent hand-eye coordination. Kim’s swing isn’t conducive for loft, and he doesn’t project to be a home run threat, but he hits enough hard line drives to be an above-average hitter. ... Kim projects to be a solid, everyday second baseman who hits for average, steals bases and plays above-average defense. Like most Korean players, he’ll need time to adjust to major league velocity before reaching his potential.
Over eight seasons in the KBO, Kim hit .304 with 37 home runs and 386 RBIs while stealing 211 bases. He's also the only infielder in KBO history to win a Gold Glove at second base and shortstop.
Hye-seong Kim double off the wall against Bobby Miller.
— Shawn Spradling (@Shawn_Spradling) March 18, 2024
The Heroes have already agreed to post the 25-year-old 2B to MLB clubs after the 2024 season.
pic.twitter.com/1bOsgBrUOm
In addition to the Mariners; the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants are teams rumored to be interested in acquiring Kim. The San Diego Padres, which teammate Ha-Seong Kim (no relation) has played for the last four seasons, is another potential landing spot.
Seattle hasn't been keen on the idea of trading one of their starting pitchers. And with potential suitors like the Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies all making moves or asking for too steep a price, Kim might be fallback for the Mariners.
Teams have until Jan. 3, 2025, to sign Kim to a major league deal. If Kim fails to land with an MLB club by the deadline, he'll return to the KBO. He's expected to earn a deal around three years, $24 million.
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