Hyeseong Kim

{{Infobox baseball biography

| name = Hyeseong Kim

| image = 김혜성 선수.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Kim with the Kiwoom Heroes in 2020

| team = Los Angeles Dodgers

| number = 6

| position = Second baseman / Shortstop

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|1|27}}

| birth_place = Goyang, Gyeonggi, South Korea

| death_date =

| death_place =

| bats = Left

| throws = Right

| debutleague = KBO

| debutdate = June 28

| debutyear = 2017

| debutteam = Nexen Heroes

| debut2league=MLB

| debut2date=May 3

| debut2year=2025

| debut2team=Los Angeles Dodgers

| finaldate =

| finalyear =

| finalteam =

| statyear = 2024 season

| statleague = KBO

| stat1label = Batting average

| stat1value = .304

| stat2label = Home runs

| stat2value = 37

| stat3label = Runs batted in

| stat3value = 386

| stat2year =

| stat2league = MLB

| stat21label = Batting average

| stat21value =

| stat22label = Home runs

| stat22value =

| stat23label = Runs batted in

| stat23value =

| teams = * Nexen / Kiwoom Heroes ({{kboy|2017}}–{{kboy|2024}})

Los Angeles Dodgers ({{mlby|2025}}–present)

| highlights =

;KBO

4× KBO Golden Glove Award (2021–2024)
KBO stolen base leader (2021)

| update =

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry | {{bb|KOR}}}}

}}

{{Infobox Korean name

| hangul = 김혜성

| hanja = 金慧成

| rr = Gim Hyeseong

| mr = Kim Hyesŏng

| koreanipa =

}}

Hyeseong Kim ({{Korean|김혜성}}; born January 27, 1999) is a South Korean professional baseball second baseman, shortstop, and center fielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in the KBO League for the Kiwoom Heroes.

Kim is the only KBO player to receive the Golden Glove Award at shortstop and second base.

Career

=Amateur and international career=

In 2016, Kim received the Lee Young-min Batting Award, given to the top-hitting high school player in Republic of Korea.{{Cite web|url=https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/baseball-softball/athlete-profile-n1333241-kim-hyeseong.htm#bio|title=Baseball/Softball KIM Hyeseong - Tokyo 2020 Olympics}}

Kim appeared in six baseball contests during the 2022 Asian Games, batting .292/.500/.370 in 18 at-bats, and winning a gold medal for South Korea.{{cite news |title=KIM Hyeseong |url=https://www.wbscasia.org/en/events/xix-asian-games-2022-mens-baseball/teams/27948/players/338397 |access-date=4 February 2024 |publisher=World Baseball Softball Confederation Asia}} He also played for the South Korea national baseball team at the 2020 Summer Olympics{{cite web|url=https://www.wbsc.org/news/defending-olympic-baseball-champ-korea-announces-tokyo-2020-roster-includes-eight-rookies|title=Defending Olympic baseball champ Korea announces Tokyo 2020 roster, includes eight rookies|publisher=World Baseball Softball Confederation|date=16 June 2021}} and 2023 World Baseball Classic.{{cite web |url=https://www.mlb.com/world-baseball-classic/roster/korea |title=Korea Roster & Staff |date= |work=World Baseball Classic |publisher= |access-date=2023-02-25}}

=Nexen / Kiwoom Heroes=

Kim signed with the Nexen Heroes of the KBO League and played for them from 2017 through 2024, batting .304 with 37 home runs, 386 RBI and 211 stolen bases in 953 games for the Heroes, who became the Kiwoom Heroes in 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=kim---016hye|title=Hyesong Kim Korean League Statistics|work=Baseball Reference|accessdate=January 3, 2025}} He also won four KBO Golden Glove Awards for his defensive ability.

In his final season in the KBO League, Kim played in 127 games for Kiwoom, slashing .326/.383/.458 with 30 stolen bases and career–highs in home runs (11) and RBI (75). On December 4, 2024, the Heroes posted Kim to Major League Baseball (MLB) as a free agent.{{Cite web|title=South Korean star Hyeseong Kim posted to MLB, available as free agent|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/42776539/south-korean-star-hyeseong-kim-posted-mlb-available-free-agent|access-date=December 5, 2024|website=espn.com}}

=Los Angeles Dodgers=

File:MLB Baseball Kim Hyeseong.jpg

On January 3, 2025, Kim signed a three-year, $12.5 million guaranteed contract, which also contained two additional option years that would increase the value to $22 million, with the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/dodgers/news/hyeseong-kim-deal-with-dodgers|title=Korean standout Hyeseong Kim signs 3-year deal with Dodgers|work=MLB.com|first=Brian|last=Murphy|date=January 3, 2025|accessdate=January 3, 2025}} The Dodgers also had to pay an additional posting fee of $2.5 million to the Heroes.{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/danfreedman/2025/01/04/the-dodgers-add-another-asset-in-korean-utility-player-hyeseong-kim/|title=The Dodgers Add Another Asset In Korean Utility Player Hyeseong Kim|work=Forbes|first=Dan|last=Freedman|date=January 4, 2025|accessdate=January 4, 2025}} On March 11, the Dodgers announced that Kim, after struggling with the bat in spring training games, would start the season in Triple-A with the Oklahoma City Comets.{{cite web|url=https://www.truebluela.com/2025/3/11/24383373/dodgers-roster-hyeseong-kim-minors-tokyo-series|title=Dodgers option Hyeseong Kim among latest roster cuts|work=SB Nation|first=Eric|last=Stephen|date=March 11, 2025|accessdate=March 11, 2025}} On May 3, Kim was called up to the major leagues{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/story/2025-05-03/dodgers-call-up-hyeseong-kim-utility-man|title=Dodgers call up utilityman Hyeseong Kim, who will join the team in Atlanta|work=LA Times|first=Jack|last=Harris|date=May 3, 2025|accessdate=May 3, 2025}} and he made his MLB debut as a defensive replacement that night against the Atlanta Braves.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/gameday/dodgers-vs-braves/2025/05/03/778076/final/box|title=Dodgers vs Braves May 3, 2025 Box Score|work=mlb.com|accessdate=May 3, 2025}}