The evaluation of being a trade card can sometimes make a player feel bad. However, if it is currently directed at Ha-seong Kim (28, San Diego Padres), it is a completely different story.
MLB Trade Rumors (MLBTR), which mainly covers news related to major league (MLB) transfers, reported on the 15th (Korean time) news about the reinforcement of the Miami Marlins’ shortstop and mentioned that Ha-seong Kim could be a trade target.
Miami’s shortstop presence is minimal… ‘5th in NL WAR’ Kim Ha-seong as a trade card?The media listed shortstop candidates that Miami could recruit, including Tim Anderson, Ahmed Rosario, Gio Urshela, Paul De Jong, and Nick Ahmed, but raised the possibility of a trade, saying, “It may also be difficult to find a solution from outside.”
Ha-Sung Kim was often mentioned as a trade card just before and in the middle of this season. Last year, he showed outstanding defensive skills to the point where he was selected as one of the final three National League (NL) shortstop Gold Glove winners and recorded double-digit home runs (11), but his batting ability was somewhat disappointing with a batting average of 0.251.
This is why he was evaluated as being able to bring more desperately needed cards to the team while giving up infield utility resources to San Diego. Even midway through the season, this assessment seemed to be valid.
However, it is Kim Ha-seong who achieved a perfect rebound even in his batting ability, which was lacking in only one thing. He is playing very well with a batting average of 0.268, 17 home runs, 58 RBIs, 80 runs, 36 stolen bases, an on-base percentage of 0.358, a slugging percentage of 0.413, and an OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.771.
San Diego moved to second base with the signing of Xander Bogaerts, and while switching between third base and shortstop, he is considered one of the leading candidates for the Gold Glove this year due to his top-level defense in the NL. He also improved his hitting ability and stole 35 bases, 소닉카지노completely transforming himself into a 5-tool player.
On the 14th, MLB.com, the official MLB website, selected the player who made the greatest improvement for each team this season and selected Kim Ha-seong from San Diego. “Everyone knows that Ronald Acuña Jr. (Atlanta) and Mookie Betts (LA Dodgers) are in the race to be the (National League) Most Valuable Player (MVP). Matt Olson (Atlanta) and Freddie Freeman (LA Dodgers) are right behind them. “He probably knows that they are chasing him,” he said, adding, “But who is ranked 5th in the NL in terms of win contribution compared to replacement players (WAR) based on Baseball Reference? Kim Ha-seong is the main character, one of the few bright spots in the team’s poor performance.”
Ha-Seong Kim is recording a WAR of 5.7 based on Baseball Reference. As explained by MLB.com, this is an excellent performance, ranking 5th in the NL and 10th in the big league overall, following Betts (8.1), Acuña Jr. (7.6), Olson (6.4), and Freeman (6.2).
MLB.com said, “Kim Ha-seong has grown into an elite leadoff player with an on-base percentage of 0.358 and 35 stolen bases, ranking second in the number of pitches per at-bat,” adding, “Defensively, it is believed that there is no player in San Diego who is better than him.
MLBTR predicts that his price will not be lowered, but he is a talent worth considering…Nevertheless, there is only one reason why it is being mentioned again as a trade card. San Diego can utilize Kim Ha-seong’s soaring value in other ways.
MLBTR said, “Ha-Sung Kim was moved to second base when San Diego hired Bogaerts, but he is quietly having a good year. His price will not be lowered. Since 2024 is the last guaranteed year of his contract, Ha-Sung Kim is also only a short-term solution.” .
Kim Ha-seong’s contract with San Diego runs until 2024. Afterwards, a one-year extension is possible by mutual agreement, but the probability that Kim Ha-seong will accept it is low. If the current trend continues, even if he remains in San Diego, entering the free agent (FA) market is a much better way to properly evaluate his value.
From Miami’s perspective, it is not easy to trade a player who will be released as a free agent in a year, but if there is a player interested in recruiting in the free agent market, securing it through a trade in advance may be an option.
Currently, Miami’s starting shortstop, Joey Wendle, has a batting average of 0.222, 2 home runs, 20 RBI, 7 stolen bases, an on-base percentage of 0.257, and a slugging percentage of 0.323 in 103 games, showing a significant difference from Ha-Sung Kim. For Miami, the challenge is to find a shortstop resource with a stronger presence in offense and defense.
For Kim Ha-seong, whose value is soaring, this outlook is not too bad. He said that the more teams are looking for him, the more his value is being reexamined.
Kim Ha-sung is being evaluated as an indispensable card for San Diego this season, with his already well-established defensive ability, hitting potential that is blooming this season, base running play, and unselfish hustle instinct. In addition, Kim Ha-seong’s price, who is likely to become a free agent at the end of next season, is already showing signs of soaring.