Robinson Cano, the New York Mets‘ starting second baseman, will miss the 2021 campaign after being busted using performance-enhancing drugs for the second time in his career. That creates a hole at the keystone, one that the team is, fortunately, prepared to cover.
The Mets can move rookie Andres Gimenez to second base, or even Jeff McNeil, who has plenty of experience there. However, according to recent reports, the team hasn’t ruled out bringing someone from outside the organization.
Per Bae Ji-Heon of South Korea’s Naver News, the New York Mets are one of six clubs in the hunt for Korean infielder Ha-Seong Kim. The other teams are the Toronto Blue Jays, the St. Louis Cardinals, the Boston Red Sox, the Texas Rangers, and the San Diego Padres.
Several organizations are interested in addition to the Mets
Daniel Kim of ESPN reports that Kim has multiple offers in the five-plus year range and lists the Cincinnati Reds as another interested organization in addition to the six that Ji-Heon reported.
The 25-year-old shortstop is highly regarded in the current market, as he is a talented offensive player who defends a premium position on the infield.
The Kiwoom Heroes of the KBO posted Kim, which means that the Mets and the rest of MLB’s organizations have until Jan. 1 to bid for his services. According to SNY, the expectation is that Kim garners a four-year deal worth at least $7 million annually.
Kim has been playing at a high level since 2014, when he started his career as a 18-year-old. In 2020, he slashed .310/.402/.530 with 28 home runs and 109 RBIs, adding 21 steals for good measure. Additionally, he is a two-time Gold Glove winner at shortstop, in 2018 and 2019.
He makes for an exciting young target for a Mets organization that has made it clear it wants to make a deep playoff run in 2021.