MLB Future Watch: Ha-Seong Kim Baseball Cards, San Diego Padres – Ha-Seong Kim is an infielder from the KBO who was signed by the San Diego Padres in 2021. The Korean Baseball League got a lot of notice when Major League Baseball was out of commission during the pandemic. While there have been Korean players in the league before, scouting of these players went up dramatically when they were the only active league.
Kim was a high draft pick in the KBO and played for the Nexen Heroes in 2014. In 2015, Kim was an all-star hitting .290 with 19 home runs and 73 RBI. He stole 20 bases, as well.
In 2016, he played in all 144 games with career highs in steals with 28, hitting 20 home runs with 84 RBI. He was the third shortstop in the history of the KBO to go 20-20.
From 2018-2020, this shortstop won three gold gloves. Fielding translates no matter the league, and so does speed and a high baseball I.Q. He has a big leg kick at the plate with plenty of bat speed. Pitching is so much better in the big leagues, so Kim had to make a big adjustment. He ended up hitting eight home runs with 34 RBI. That’s productive and he played a bit at second base making some highlight plays at both positions.
Kim is already a fan favorite at Petco Park. He may have been a 26-year-old rookie, but that doesn’t define him. He is under contract for three more years, so collectors know he’ll be around a while if they jump in with both feet. Remember, he has cards from the KBO that could be fun to try and acquire.
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A good card to look for is his 2021 Topps Archives Rookie. This card shows him in the batter’s box intently waiting for the pitcher to give him something he can hit.
His 2021 Topps Series 2 Rookie Card shows him without his hat in classic Padres colors, and Kim is a bit animated. I really like this card a lot because it’s a landscape photo.
A final card to get would be his 2021 Topps Chrome Rookie Card. Kim shows his split stance on a very shiny card that makes this photo really pop. There are different variations as well so that is always fun for collectors around the world. Kim’s following keeps growing especially in San Diego.
MLB Future Watch: Ha-Seong Kim Baseball Cards, San Diego Padres – Stats
| Year | Age | Tm | Lg | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | OPS+ | TB | GDP | HBP | SH | SF | IBB | Pos | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 25 | SDP | NL | 117 | 298 | 267 | 27 | 54 | 12 | 2 | 8 | 34 | 6 | 1 | 22 | 71 | .202 | .270 | .352 | .622 | 73 | 94 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | H654 | |
| 1 Yr | 117 | 298 | 267 | 27 | 54 | 12 | 2 | 8 | 34 | 6 | 1 | 22 | 71 | .202 | .270 | .352 | .622 | 73 | 94 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | |||||
| 162 Game Avg. | 162 | 413 | 370 | 37 | 75 | 17 | 3 | 11 | 47 | 8 | 1 | 30 | 98 | .202 | .270 | .352 | .622 | 73 | 130 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 1 | |||||
MLB Future Watch: Ha-Seong Kim Baseball Cards, San Diego Padres – More Resources
- MLB.com Player Profile – Ha-Seong Kim
- Secondary Market Pricing – Ha-Seong Kim
- Beckett Card Catalog – Ha-Seong Kim Baseball Cards
MLB Future Watch: Ha-Seong Kim Baseball Cards, San Diego Padres – Image Gallery
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