There's a saying that 'no way you're going to catch people'. This means that a glimmer of possibility can sometimes become a reality.
The surprising fact that the Los Angeles Dodgers' 「Super Utility Man" Kim Hye-sung, who made his Major League debut, will win the NL Rookie of the Year may also be realized from this point of view. It's not a complete nonsense. The signs are unusual. Kim Hye-sung is consistently ranked at the top of the mock vote for the Rookie of the Year.
MLB.COM, the official website of the Major League, announced the results of the 2025 Major League Rookie of the Year mock vote on the 17th (Korea time). This is the result of 28 certified major league experts voting and ranking from first to fifth place in the American League (AL) and National League (NL). The first-place vote is given five points, and after that, one point is deducted, and the fifth place gets one point.
When the scores were summed up, Kim Hye-sung took fourth place. Last month, Kim Hye-sung received three first-place votes and became second in the NL Rookie of the Year mock vote. This month, it fell two places. Nevertheless, he still maintained the top four.
Kim Hye-sung, who was called up to the Major League for the first time on May 4, performed better than expected and immediately established himself as an indispensable `super utility player' for the Dodgers. It is not a clear main player, but he appeared whenever a team was needed both inside and outside the country and performed well.
Kim Hye-sung, who played in a total of 48 games before the All-Star break, hit 0.339 (38 hits in 112 at-bats) with two home runs, 13 RBIs, 17 runs and 11 steals. OPS (On-base plus slugging) hit 0.842. No matter where you put it, it is a good performance.
If the Debs were such a thick 'World Series Champion' Dodgers that they could not secure the starting lineup, and if they were a team with a shallow playing base, they would not have enough to be used as the starting lineup right away. Even the local media argued that manager Dave Roberts should give Kim Hye-sung more opportunities.
Thanks to this performance, Kim Hye-sung continues to survive in the Major League after the call-up, proving his value. This performance is recognized as it is in the mock vote for the Rookie of the Year.
MLB.COM, which announced the results of the mock vote for the Rookie of the Year, said 'Kim Hye-sung is down two places from the last mock vote, but this is because competition has intensified as the level of competitors has risen. Kim Hye-sung evaluated that he is still making use of his strengths and increasing his value with his excellent running ability.
'In the first half of the year, he had only nine long balls, but he managed to steal 11 bases. In addition, he showed off his versatile ability by playing 28 games as a second baseman, 16 games as a center fielder, and 8 games as a shortstop. 'Kim Hye-sung's chances to play are increasing after Enrique Hernandez's elbow injury. He explained in detail, 'In June, he started only six times and finished the game until the end, but in July, he started seven out of 12 games and stayed on the ground until the end.'
If this performance continues in the second half of the year, there is room for an amazing result of 'Rising the King of the Gods'.
Of course, it is by no means an easy thing to do when you look at your current competitors. This is because there are so overwhelming candidates. It's the Milwaukee Brewers' monster god pitcher Jacob Misorowski. Misorowski, whose fastball speeds exceed 100 miles per hour (about 160.9 kilometers per hour), received the top vote from as many as 19 people in the latest vote, ranking first in the overwhelming mock vote. This is the result of 4 wins and 1 loss and a 2.81 ERA in the first half.
After that, Drake Baldwin (Atlanta Braves) and Agustin Ramirez (Miami Marlins) ranked second and third. Both are catchers.
Kim Hye-sung needs to make a more pronounced impact in the second half if he wants to beat these powerful competitors. To do so, the number of participating matches must be increased. However, Roberts is still thoroughly managing the team based on practicality. I'm not the type to give Kim Hye-sung a particular opportunity.
In the end, Kim Hye-sung has to solve it on his own. When the main players in the team are injured or when they get a chance to coach Roberts, they need to show stronger performances and appeal their presence. Even Misorowski can't throw well forever. A slump could hit in the second half of the year. If Kim Hye-sung can go ahead at this time, it is worth looking forward to winning the Rookie of the Year award from behind.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
