"Kim Hyesung already booked a return flight on the 23rd when he leaves the country"...ML posting is not a failure, but early return to Korea to comply with the Military Service Act
"Kim Hyesung already booked a return flight on the 23rd when he leaves the country"...ML posting is not a failure, but early return to Korea to comply with the Military Service Act
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Kiwoom Heroes infielder Kim Hye-sung, who challenged posting in the U.S. Major League, returned to Korea before signing the contract. It was not a difficult contract or a failure to challenge posting. Kim Hye-sung planned early return to Korea to comply with the military service law.
Kim Hye-sung, who had traveled to the U.S. to challenge posting, reportedly returned to Korea on the 23rd.
"Kim Hye-sung returned home on the 23rd," a Kiwoom official said in a phone call with Expo News on the 26th. "Kim Hye-sung did not have any problems with the posting process or gave up his challenge to the U.S. stage," he said. "Kim Hye-sung is a soldier in alternative service and has limited length of stay abroad. He returned home early to comply with the military service law."
The official said, "I understand that I already booked a return flight from the time I left the country. I could have applied for an extension of my stay in the U.S., but if Kim Hye-sung, who is a soldier in the process, gets in trouble. Kim Hye-sung has returned to Korea, and I heard that a local agency is continuing negotiations with major league teams in the U.S."
Kim left for Los Angeles on the 29th of last month and continued negotiations there. According to the agreement, Kim, who was posted to the Major League Secretariat on the 5th, can negotiate with Major League clubs until 7 a.m. on January 4 in Korean time. If the negotiations are not completed within the deadline, the posting will be automatically terminated. Kim cannot challenge posting again until November 1 next year. Kim plans to move back to the U.S. immediately if the deal is signed before January 4.
Meanwhile, Kim Hye-sung, who joined Kiwoom as the seventh overall pick in the first round of the second round of rookies in 2017, has rapidly grown into an infielder representing the KBO League by immediately taking the main position in the first division from the 2018 season. Kim Hye-sung played 127 games in the 2024 season and continued his steady flow with a batting average of 0.326, 166 hits, 11 homers, 75 RBIs, 30 steals, 90 runs, a on-base percentage of 0.383, and a slugging percentage of 0.458. Kim Hye-sung played 953 games in the KBO League, batting average of 0.304, 1043 hits, 37 homers, 386 RBIs, 591 runs, 211 steals, on-base percentage of 0.364, and a slugging percentage of 0.403.
Kim joined hands with CAA Sports, a local agency in the U.S., where Shohei Ohtani is located, in the middle of the 2024 season. Kim has been constantly linked to the Seattle Mariners since the beginning of the posting negotiations. In addition, the Los Angeles Angels and San Diego Padres are reportedly showing interest in Kim.
The U.S. media Sports Illustrated (SI) said on the 26th (Korea time), "The Seattle Mariners are one of the three teams that expressed the greatest interest in the Korean infielder (Kim Hye-sung). Seattle, the Los Angeles Angels, and the San Diego Padres are fiercely competing for Kim Hye-sung from the KBO League."
"Seattle is still looking for its first major recruitment in the offseason. The first step could be a Korean infielder," he said. "Kim Hye-sung was posted (closed competitive bid) in early December and negotiated for 30 days. According to early reports, Seattle was one of the team that had the biggest interest in Kim. The contract deadline is more than a week away, and the situation is still similar."
The media predicted that Kim Hye-sung will sign a three-year, $24 million contract (about 35.2 billion won). 메이저놀이터
"Kim is likely to sign a three-year, 24 million-dollar contract," the media reported. Seattle has empty first, second, and third bases. Kim's experience as an infielder will provide Seattle with solid defense on second base. He will also be able to display consistent contact capabilities in lower-tier lineup. "If the final Major League contract goes as we expected, Kim's ransom will not be expensive. It is an important factor for Seattle, which wants a 15-20 million-dollar contract."