Diligent Kim Ha-seong sets good precedent for Korean players in MLB

Kim Ha-seong and Lee Jung-hoo watch the game between KT WIZ and LG Twins during Game 5 of the 2023 KBO Korean Series at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, South Korea. Yonhap

“A versatile, passionate, and diligent player.”

This is the image that Kim Ha-seong of the San Diego Padres, 29, has created over the past three years in the U.S. Major League Baseball (MLB). The "Kim Ha-seong effect" has had a positive impact on other young Koreans trying to make it to the big league.

Kim was a favorite of San Diego Padres manager Bob Melvin. He received rave reviews from the manager several times last season. In June of last year, Melvin said of Kim, "For a guy who is used to playing shortstop, he looks like a gold glove at second base. Not many players who have only played second base can make plays like that," and in August, he said, "He's one of the best defenders. You can put him anywhere and he'll make plays." In September, he said, "He does everything really well, from fielding to batting to base running," and "He's on the verge of being an MLB All-Star. I expect him to be an All-Star player in a few years."

He also praised Kim's attitude on the field. "Sometimes it feels like we're in a slump," Melvin said of the team's lackluster performance, "but that's not the way he plays. He never takes his eyes off the game, and he runs to first base regardless of the batting."

Melvin has 20 years of MLB managerial experience and was named Manager of the Year in 2007. In October last year, he left the Padres to become the new manager of the San Francisco Giants. In December, Lee Jung-hoo signed a free agent contract with the Giants, making Melvin take over another team with a Korean fielder in succession.

Speaking to reporters at San Francisco Giants’ FanFest on February 4, Melvin said he is confident that Lee will appear in perfect physical condition for the team's spring training, which begins on the 19th. "I had a video chat with him a week ago, and finished the conversation when Lee said, ‘I have to work out now,’” Melvin said, adding that he was pleased with Lee's diligence. "If Lee is a player like Kim Ha-seong, he will come to a training site ready to go,” Melvin emphasized. Kim's unique diligent attitude has raised the bar for Korean players in general.

Over the past three years, Kim has proven his skill and work ethic in the U.S. If Lee shows an impressive performance in his debut season in the MLB, it will naturally help younger Korean players preparing for their challenge in the big league.

It is a similar effect that former Japanese fielder Ichiro Suzuki and Hideki Matsui had in the past. Kim Hye-seong of the Kiwoom Heroes, who played with Kim Ha-seong and Lee Jung-hoo in the same team, told his club that he wants to play in the MLB after finishing the next season.

※This article has undergone review by a professional translator after being translated by an AI translation tool.