Los Angeles Dodgers utility man Hyeseong Kim had an uneven rookie season in MLB, featuring as a rotational player for the majority of the 2025 season.
After the season’s close, Kim sent a message to Dodgers fans while back home in Korea.
“I didn’t do my best this year, but thank you for your support,” Kim said. “Next year I’ll improve so I can show my face to fans at the ballpark more often. Thank you.”
Kim featured in 71 games over the course of the season, hitting three home runs and recording 17 RBIs in 161 at-bats. He batted .280 and posted an on-base percentage of .314. He also had a .384 slugging percentage for a .699 OPS.
The international free agency signing began the season with Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he batted .268 with a .793 OPS. He hit five home runs and tallied 22 RBIs through his 37 games in the minor leagues. The Dodgers called him up May 3, and he stepped to the plate for the first time against the Miami Marlins two days later.
He got a hit in each of the first three games he grabbed a bat, logging two multi-hit games in that stretch. He hit his first home run May 14.
Kim appeared just twice during the postseason, once against the Phillies and once against the Blue Jays, and never logged an at bat, though he scored a run during the NLDS.
Despite his limited number of appearances, Kim has become something of a fan favorite in Los Angeles, and Dodgers fans will be eager to see his return next season. With the current free agency statuses of Miguel Rojas and Kiké Hernandez, Kim could be in position to take on a bigger workload in 2026 if they don’t re-sign their veterans.
