Hyeseong Kim does not have much time left to make a decision on if and where he’ll play in the MLB next season. After being posted to the Major Leagues by the Kiwoom Heroes of South Korea’s KBO league this offseason, the budding talent has been sought after by suitors looking to bolster their infield. The San Diego Padres have emerged as candidates to land the 25-year-old.
Hyeseong Kim can join Padres or return to KBO in 2025
According to Maren Angus-Coombs of San Diego Padres on SI, Kim’s decision will come down to the wire due to posting stipulations that have put him under time constraints:
“Under the agreement between the KBO and MLB, posted players have 30 days to negotiate a deal, or they must return to the KBO for another season,” Angus-Coombs wrote.
Padres: Urgent circumstances may defer Kim’s MLB debut
That makes today, Friday, Jan. 3, his day of decision. Also per Angus-Coombs, the reason for the lefty sluggers’ delayed announcement has much to do with military obligations he has in South Korea. The SI reporter expounded on the details as follows:
“Although he earned an exemption by winning gold at the 2023 Asian Games, he must still complete 544 hours of community service over 34 months in lieu of active duty. After finishing a three-week basic training program in November, athletes in his situation are only allowed to stay overseas for limited periods,” Angus-Coombs noted.
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Kim has mere hours to decide on Padres’ offer
As of this article’s posting, Kim has until 2 PM EST on Friday (today) to pick up the Padres’ offer or agree to terms with another team, or he’ll have to play at least another season in his native country. In 2024, the 5-10, 176-pound star sported an incredible .326 batting average while boasting 90 runs, 75 RBIs, and 30 stolen bases.
San Diego could benefit greatly from adding the young international pro to their infield for the foreseeable future. That being said, the decision is on him, and it’ll need to be made soon.
