Hello Hyesung, the secret of Ohtani advice... Kim Hye-sung, who leaves the country, revealed the decisive reason for going to the Dodgers
Jan 14, 2025
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Kim Hye-sung (26, LA Dodgers) expressed his feelings about stepping on the U.S. Major League stage in earnest. Kim Hye-sung will head to Phoenix, Arizona via Seattle, USA, from Incheon International Airport on the 14th. The Dodgers will hold spring camp in Arizona. Although there is about a month left until the official camp call-up date, Kim Hye-sung will adjust to the U.S. early and build her body as she faces a big challenge.
Kim Hye-sung succeeded in signing a buzzer beater contract with the Dodgers just before the posting deadline on the 4th (Korea time). The Dodgers guaranteed Kim Hye-sung a three-year total of $12.5 million (about 18.2 billion won) and gave him a contract of up to $22 million (about 32.1 billion won) if he triggered the club's option to extend the two-year contract between 2028 and 2029. Kim Hye-sung chose the Dodgers, the winner of last year's World Series, after agonizing over offers from multiple clubs. The Dodgers were the first to contact him after the posting.
He was greatly influenced by the advice of Shohei Ohtani (31), a superstar who represents not only the Dodgers but also the entire Major League. Kim Hye-sung joined hands with CAA Sports, famous for Ohtani's agency, while preparing for the major league challenge. Ohtani gave light advice on the Dodgers when Kim Hye-sung, a member of the same agency, stayed in the U.S., and helped Kim make a decision. Ohtani said hello in Korean first in a friendly way, "Hye-sung" and Kim Ha-sung also studied Japanese to respond quickly.
Kim Hye-sung must prove his qualification as the main second baseman in the spring camp. As soon as the Dodgers acquired Kim Hye-sung, they traded Gavin Lux (28), who had been selected as the starting second baseman this season, to the Cincinnati Reds. It was the club's decision to clear the way for Kim Hye-sung while organizing the full infield.
FanGraph's performance prediction program Steamer predicted that Kim Hye-sung will play in 94 games this season with a batting average of 0.279, an on-base percentage of 0.324, a slugging percentage of 0.374, five homers, 14 steals, 35 RBIs and 41 points. Since the KBO League performance would have been the basis, the indicators related to long balls are falling, but contact and baserunning ability are expected to work in the Major League. WAR (contributions to victory over substitute players) was 1.3. Considering that Kim Hye-sung is a rookie in the big league, a fairly generous expected performance came out.
Kim Hye-sung is also recognized for her contact ability and defensive ability as well as her main focus. The Dodgers and the U.S. media are paying attention to Kim Hye-sung's history of winning both shortstop and second baseman Golden Glove for the first time in KBO history. The KBO's overall performance is 953 games, a batting average of 0.304 (1,043 hits in 3,433 at-bats), 37 homers, 211 steals, 386 RBIs, and 591 runs.
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-I wonder if it feels like I'm going to the Major League.
▶I think it's coming out now.
-Has your uniform number been decided.
▶ Unfortunately, I didn't have number 3 (used in Korea), so I thought about what would be good for single digits among the remaining numbers, so I did it because there was number 6.
-Lux was traded, and Chris Taylor and Enrique Hernandez also continue to be listed on the trade market. How you feel personally.
▶I don't think there is any difference. It's my first major league try, so I think I'll prepare with the same mind whether it's just traded or not.
-What kind of club did the Dodgers have for themselves.
▶It's a prestigious club, and I've seen a lot of Korean leaguers since I was young. I think it's the best team because it's the winning team in 2024, and I really want to play as soon as possible so that the day comes when I play for that club.
-I heard Ohtani advised me during the contract process.
▶It wasn't a very big piece of advice. First of all, because we were in the same agency, we worked out at the same facility, and in the process, we just greeted each other and talked a little bit, and I think we just received a few words of support. I always said hello in Korean, and I think I worked hard to study Japanese and talked.
-When Ohtani speaks Korean, did he answer in Japanese.
▶ That's right. I studied hard because I thought I had to do it in Korean.
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▶'Hello, Mr. Hyesung' (laughs).
-Before Lee Jung-hoo left the country, he praised him like Park Ji-sung of Manchester United.
▶I remember laughing for about three seconds. I think it's a word of thanks and appreciation, and I'm just grateful that you compared me to someone so amazing.
-Can you compare Lee Jung-hoo to the same.
▶ Isn't Jung-hoo just a superstar. I had a disappointing injury last year because I'm a superstar who doesn't need a metaphor, but I think I can do well this year.
-I heard you talked a lot with Lee Jung-hoo during the contract process.
▶I asked a lot. First of all, I don't know anything. As a result, Jung-hoo went to the Major League a year earlier, so I thought he knew about it in terms of players and life, so I asked a lot. In that sense, I think Jung-hoo taught me so well that it helped me choose.
-What would it be like to meet Lee Jung-hoo in the Major League.
▶ Wouldn't it be fun to meet. There was always only a blue-and-white match when Jung-hoo was at bat. If Jung-hoo is at bat on the other team, I think I should catch everything because I think I always catch everything with the same mind.
-The driving force behind his advancement to the Major League is.
▶I'm not old yet, but I think I've been able to grow little by little because I've always lived my life with high goals without the sense of goal and satisfaction that I want to go to.
-It's my first time with everything, but do you go to America and draw.
▶I can't draw it. Because I don't know anything yet. I'm just going to work as hard as I can as sincerely as I felt when I first joined the professional team.
-I would have chosen the Dodgers' proposal because it was attractive, but would it have had an impact on the Seoul Series. I chose it at the end of the 30-day negotiation period, if you look back on that period.
▶I don't think the Seoul Series had any impact. First of all, I think I was attracted to the team because it was attractive. I don't want to go back to the 30-day negotiation period. I don't think it was easy because I couldn't sleep well, and when I think back like this, I think it's a good memory.
-In the U.S., they watch it as a utility, but they are paying attention to the experience of outfielders.
▶First of all, you should be a baseball player and not one position, but a player who can just play wherever you go as a baseball player. I don't care where I go out, I want to prepare well so that I can do the mission that the team entrusts me to do well.
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▶Just, shouldn't I be good at baseball. I have no choice but to do better than now and just do better. I want to help the team by doing better than I did last year.
-He has good defense and baserunning tools, but his power was also proven to some extent with double-digit home runs last year. What kind of baseball do you want to show in America.
▶I want to be a player who makes use of my strengths, and it's my first time trying to fire. First of all, I think I should show all the strengths I can and appeal well.
-What are your future plans, such as the joining ceremony?
▶I'm not sure about the entrance ceremony. Wouldn't it be more important to train and practice than to join the team now. I think it's more important to build my body as an athlete, so I'm moving on a little early to exercise.
-How do you feel when the Dodgers offered to recruit him.
▶It was good. It wasn't in the article, but the first thing the Dodgers contacted me after applying for posting was the Dodgers. I appreciate that and it was good.
-What do you look forward to most when you play for the Dodgers.
▶I think it's a great honor to debut on the team I used to watch on TV when I was young. I want to prepare well so that I can debut quickly and debut quickly.
-Wasn't the position competition agonizing when signing a contract.
▶Just because you went to a non-Dodgers team doesn't mean you won't compete. Even if I went to every team, I thought I was competing wherever I went because it was my first year. I don't regret it because I decided that I wanted to go to the Dodgers and compete well and settle down.
-What is the first and final goal of major leaguer Kim Hye-sung.
▶The first goal is to make his debut in the opening game entry. The final goal will be set gradually.
-Tommy Edman, who participated in the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC), is in the Dodgers.
▶Edman played together on the WBC. We are not completely close, but we talked a lot because we are the same infielder. We kept in touch again this time. I asked him to meet me at spring camp.
-Is there any batting advice from Lee Jung-hoo and Kim Ha-sung.
▶ (Kim) Ha-sung and Jung-hoo didn't say anything about hitting. This is because each player has different batting mechanisms. Both players just said 'Go experience it'. I can't wait to experience it well and do it.
-Do you have any plans to visit Kiwoom Arizona camp.
▶If I have time, shouldn't I go without fail. There are many people I want to see and I think I have to go. I was so grateful that all of my parenting colleagues supported me and all of them congratulated me. I'm sorry I couldn't be with you this year, and I hope Kiwoom wins this year because all the players are cheering.
-To say goodbye to Kiwoom fans.
▶First of all, I've played for the Heroes team since 2017, and thanks to your consistent support from then to 2024, I feel like I've grown little by little and challenged the major leagues like this. Of course, I'm not a Heroes, but if you cheer for me even when I go to the U.S., I'll be a player who always works hard. Thank you.
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This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
