Will you think of Kim Hyesung? Now, Pazs is close to 300, and LAD's batting average of 0.545 has recently been treated as a treasure for LAD's batters

May 02, 2025

LA Dodgers Andy Pazs is circling the base after hitting a home run in the bottom of the fifth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates on the 28th of last month (Korea time). AP Yonhap News

Cincinnati Reds Gavin Lux is rushing home from the bottom of the fourth inning against St. Louis Cardinals on the 29th of last month (Korea time). AP Yonhap News

The LA Dodgers recruited KBO infielder Kim Hye-sung last winter because he highly valued his contact heating and utility defense. If the three-year guarantee is $12.5 million, it can be seen as a price based on the judgment that it can be raised to the main level even if it has no major league experience.

In addition, the Dodgers traded the existing second baseman Gavin Lux to the Cincinnati Reds shortly after Kim Hye-sung was acquired. It was aimed at maintaining the overflowing infield power. In other words, he trusted Kim Hye-sung that much.

More than a month has passed since the start of the season. What's the situation like now. Kim Hye-sung was ruled under-content at the end of the spring training and went down to the minor league camp without being included on the Tokyo Series list and entered the regular season as a member of the Triple-A Oklahoma City Comets.

Kim Hye-sung, who is teaching in the minor league after receiving an order from manager Dave Roberts that he needs to completely renovate his batting form to adapt to the fast ball, still seems to be unable to produce satisfactory results.

Kim Hye-sung played in both double headers against El Paso Chihuahua (under the San Diego Padres) at his home stadium, Chikaso Bricktown Ball Park on the 2nd (Korea time), and recorded 1 hit and 1 RBI in 3 at-bats as a sixth shortstop in the first game and 1 run and 1 walk in 3 at-bats as a leadoff center fielder in the second game. The team won 4-3 in the first round and 12-5 in the second round, respectively.

Oklahoma City Comets Kim Hye-sung. Photo = MiLB.TV Capture

In the first game, he turned the tide 2-1 by hitting a left-handed hit with two outs and runners on the first and second bases in the bottom of the third inning when the score was tied 1-1. He pushed the opponent's left-hander Austin Crop's 90.3-mile first-pitch sinker and connected it with a line drive hit to the left, bringing second baseman Cody Hawes home.

Kim Hye-sung got on base with a walk in his first at-bat in the bottom of the first inning of Game 2, then homered on the follow-up hit to score the first run, and struck out swinging in the second inning.

And in the bottom of the fourth inning with a 7-4 lead, he hit a right-handed hit and continued his hitting sense. On the full count, right-hander Kevin Cobb's 6th pitch 84.9 miles outside cutter was pulled to lead to a single that fell in front of right field. However, he failed to reach home due to a failed follow-up. In the fifth inning, with a big lead of 11-4, the second baseman was grounded out to the second base.

Kim Hye-sung thus marked a batting average of 0.257 (29 hits in 113 times at bat), five homers, 19 RBIs, 22 points, eight walks, 13 steals, and an OPS of 0.801 in 27 Triple-A games. With 32 strikeouts from 127 at-bats, the strikeout rate is 25.2%. It's a figure that Roberts is paying attention to, and it needs to be lowered to less than 20%.

앤디 파헤스. AFP Yonhap News

The problem is that no matter how well Kim Hye-sung plays, it is difficult to make a place in the Major League. This is because the players who beat Kim Hye-sung in the spring training and made the opening roster are continuing their active activities.

Outfielder Andy Farggs couldn't get out of the batting average of around .100 at the beginning of the season, but now he is approaching a batting average of .300. From the Chicago Cubs on April 23 to the Miami Marlins on the 1st, he hit eight consecutive games, raising his batting average to 0.292 and OPS to 0.891, respectively. During this period, he hit a whopping 0.545 (18 hits in 33 at-bats) and drove in three home runs and nine RBIs. Roberts put him on the opening roster believing in Parz's ability to make a shot from the chance, and the expected performance is showing as it is.

He ranks second in batting average and third in OPS in the team. We can't bring down such a player to the minor leagues.

Another competitor, Chris Taylor, is filling up his power with backup fielders and pinch-runner agents, but he is difficult to take off the roster as his annual salary reaches $13 million even though he does not have a noticeable performance at bat.

In this situation, Lux, who left for Cincinnati, hit a batting average of 0.317 (32 hits in 101 at-bats), one home run, 15 RBIs, 28 points, and an OPS of 0.836 and wields a fire bat 'Dodgers look at it'.