Kim Ha-seong (26, San Diego Padres), despite being honored with the’most votes’ at the 2019 Korea Professional Baseball Golden Gloves Awards, urged himself to say, “If you achieve similar results as this year, it is difficult to advance to the MLB.
In 2019, Ha-Sung Kim hit a batting average of 0.307, 19 homers, 104 RBIs and 33 steals.
On-base percentage was 0.389 and slugging percentage was 0.491.
Ahead of the 2019 Golden Gloves Awards Ceremony, Ha-Sung Kim received a promise from Kiwoom Heroes that he will allow him to enter the US after the 2020 season ends.
Even on the day he was certified as the KBO League’s best shortstop, Kim Ha-seong said, “It’s not at the level to be recognized in the major leagues.”
Kim Ha-sung, who developed’strength’ during the off-season, played an active part in 2020 with a batting average of 0.306, 30 home runs, and 109 RBIs.
On-base percentage rose to 0.397, and slugging percentage improved significantly to 0.523.
Growing up, Ha-Sung Kim applied for a post (private competitive bidding) for the US professional baseball, and signed a contract with San Diego for up to $39 million in 4+1 years.
CBS Sports in the United States put the name of Kim Ha-sung in the place of ‘7th batter second baseman’ in anticipation of the San Diego starting lineup in 2021.
Ha-sung Kim has been playing shortstop for Heroes since 2015, when Kang Jung-ho entered the US major league.
Early on, he grew into the top shortstop in the KBO League.
The value of a shortstop who can succeed with 20 homers and 20 steals while maintaining the batting average of 30% is very high.
However, Kim Ha-seong advocated himself, saying, “I’m stuck” even after getting to that stage.
Before Kim Ha-sung entered the United States, he said, “I felt my physical strength dropping in the second half of 2018.
So from 2019, I have increased my weight training time during the season.”
He also changed the way he holds the bat.
Since 2019, Ha-Sung Kim has wrapped the bat knob (the end of the handle) in his palm.
As the knob sits in the palm of the hand instead of touching the blade, the actual hitting length is longer.
Kim Ha-seong explained, “It is a 34-inch effect while using a 33.5-inch bat.”
It was the method Kang Jung-ho used to play in Heroes.
Kim Ha-seong “In fact, even with the existing batting stance, I can hit 20 home runs in the second half of the batting average.
However, several seniors advised me to’do it boldly’.”
Kim Ha-sung, who led a hard body during the season, faithfully trained weight, and changed his batting posture, enjoyed the effect in 2020.
After hitting his personal first 30 home runs on October 14, 2020 at Suwon kt wiz, he was contemplating, “Why do I have similar records every year?”
Fortunately, this year (2020) is performing better than last year,” he said. “I am satisfied with the results of my efforts.”
Ha-seong Kim also put down’the pride of the shortstop’ after examining the team situation.
Kim Ha-seong, who has been both a third baseman and shortstop since 2019, increased the time to stand at third base when Addison Russell, a former major league all-star shortstop, joined the team at the end of July 2020.
Ha Sung Kim showed off higher firepower with a solid third base defense.
Ha-sung Kim, who is both a shortstop and a third baseman, regained his position as the main shortstop at the end of the season in the postseason.
San Diego had the top shortstop and third baseman in the majors.
Local media predicted that Kim Ha-sung will compete for second base with Jake Cronenworth and serve as backups for Fernando Tatis Jr. (shortstop) and Manny Machado (third baseman).
The experience of going between two positions (shortstop and third baseman) smoothly in the KBO League can also be helpful in San Diego.
Despite the tough competition ahead, Kim Ha-sung is highly valued in the US as well.
The baseball prediction system ZiPS (SZymborski Projection System) predicted that Ha-Sung Kim will record more than 3.5 Warfare (WAR) over the next five years over the next five years.
This means that the team can win more than 3.5 wins every year than an average player.
Kim Ha-sung’s 2021 major league performance as measured by ZiPS was a batting average of 0.274, 23 home runs, 82 RBIs, and 17 steals.
In ZiPS, Ha-sung Kim in 2022 (batting average 0.273, 23 homers, 83 RBIs, 15 stolen bases), 2023 (batting average 0.271, 24 homers, 83 RBIs, 16 stolen bases), 2024 (batting average 0.270, 24 homers, 82 RBI, 15 stolen bases) ), and in 2025 (batting average of 0.270, 23 homers, 80 runs, 15 steals), it was evaluated as a batter who could hit 20 homers or more in the second half of the batting average.
Ha-Sung Kim, who always evaluated himself coldly, considered San Diego as a’big league lead infielder’.
The baseball analysis site also evaluates Kim Ha-seong as a’high quality infielder’.
/yunhap news