Inside The Pinstripes

This Impressive Free Agent 'Could Make Sense' for Yankees Infield Void

The New York Yankees could have a clear solution to some of their shortcomings awaiting them in free agency.

Grant Young

Jul 12, 2020; Bronx, New York, United States; A view of the New York Yankees logo and seat number of an empty seat during a simulated game during summer camp workouts at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Jul 12, 2020; Bronx, New York, United States; A view of the New York Yankees logo and seat number of an empty seat during a simulated game during summer camp workouts at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
In this story:

In a December 17 article, Bleacher Report's Tim Kelly deemed the New York Yankees as the fifth-most likely destination for former San Diego Padres infielder and current free agent Ha Seong Kim.

One appealing aspect for Kim is his versatility, as he has experience playing several infield positions during his MLB tenure. He's also an elite fielder, which is proven by his above-average fielding metrics according to Baseball Savant.

There's some sentiment within the industry that the Yankees are done making additions to their infield after signing Paul Goldschmidt and will give DJ Lemahieu an opportunity to win the starting job at either second or third base, depending on where Jazz Chisholm Jr. lands.

But if they want to add another infielder, The Athletic's Chris Kirschner made a compelling case for Kim in a December 30 article.

"If the Yankees were to sign a free agent at second base, Ha-Seong Kim could make sense," Kirschner wrote.

"Part of the reason why the Yankees wanted to replace Torres at second was because of his poor defense and baserunning. Pairing Kim and Volpe up the middle would give the Yankees an elite double-play combination. Kim would also be another player who could eclipse 20 steals. The Yankees finished the 2024 season as the worst baserunning team in MLB."

Along with these positives, there are also some downsides to signing Kim.

"The Yankees finished the 2024 season as the worst baserunning team in MLB. One issue with Kim is he’s coming off of shoulder surgery and not expected to be available at the start of the regular season. He’s also just a slightly above-average bat who doesn’t offer much slugging upside," Kirschner added.

Given the firepower already in the Yankees lineup, adding Kim to address their two biggest shortcomings in 2024 (defense and baserunning) does seem to make sense.

Published
Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.

Home/News