CARDBIZ: LOS ANGELES (April 6, 2026) With veteran shortstop Mookie Betts on the injured list with a right oblique strain, the Los Angeles Dodgers have recalled 27-year-old infielder Hyeseong Kim from Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Last season, in Kim’s rookie campaign, the South Korean prospect flashed speed and contact potential but struggled with a 30 percent strikeout rate.

71 GAMES | .280 AVG | .314 OBP | .385 SLG | 3 HR | 17 RBI | 13 SB

Optioned him to the minors out of spring training to get at-bats to fine-tune his swing; it was a move Manager Dave Roberts called “probably the toughest decision of the spring.”

In Oklahoma City, Kim impressed, starting off his season with a .346/.438/.385 slash line, 11 runs scored, and with vastly improved plate discipline (six strikeouts to four walks) over six games.

With Betts sidelined for a probable 4-6 week recovery timetable, Kim is expected to split time with veteran Miguel Rojas at shortstop. 

For card investors, Kim presents a fascinating low-risk, high-reward opportunity. Entering his second MLB season after eight highly successful years in the KBO (where he amassed 1,043 hits and 37 homers), Kim has the raw contact and speed traits that make him a highly intriguing speculative play.

Key Baseball Cards to Target

2025 Bowman Chrome (#2) & Bowman Paper (#91) Because Kim (Hyeseong Kim, Dodgers) came over from the KBO ahead of the 2025
season, he bypassed the traditional minor-league prospect card cycle and
debuted straight into 2025 Bowman sets with the official “RC”
shield.Current Market (as of early April 2026).

Raw base Chrome (#2) and Paper (#91) copies remain
incredibly affordable, with recent eBay sold listings showing most ungraded raw
base copies trading in the $0.99–$2.25 range (Chrome #2 averaging around $1.46
with 2 sales/week volume; Paper #91 around $0.99–$1.50 with steady supply). A
handful of low-numbered or serial-numbered parallels (e.g., /199) have popped slightly higher, around $5–$6, but base copies are still at buy-low levels. First-Edition parallels (where applicable) and lower-numbered color refractors (like Golds, Sky Blue borders, or similar) continue to offer excellent value while he works through his early MLB adjustment and a fresh runway in the majors. Graded
PSA 10 copies sit around $35–$37 for Chrome and $25–$35 for Paper, but raw
remains the sweet spot for entry.

2025 Topps Chrome (#152) & Rookie Autographs: This is the flagship rookie card from his MLB debut year. Collectors chased his
Chrome RC parallels hard upon release, but his initial assignment to Triple-A
to start 2026 has cooled the market significantly.

Current Market (as of early April 2026): Raw and ungraded base copies are currently selling in the $1.45–$2.50 range
(latest confirmed sales as recent as April 3, 2026, at $2.25, with most
hovering $1.50–$2.00). Premium parallels like Logofractors, RayWave, Cosmic
Chrome, and similar refractors are still accessible—raw examples often $3–$18
depending on the specific parallel (e.g., some Logofractor variants around
$3–$17+ raw), well off the highs from last year’s debut hype. Raw base Rookie
Autographs can still be snagged for a fraction of their peak 2025 values (often
in the low-to-mid hundreds for nice raw examples, depending on the parallel).

CardBiz Verdict

Hyeseong Kim’s 2025 rookie cards are in classic post-hype cooldown. This is the time patient collectors win. With raw bases across Bowman Chrome, Bowman Paper, and Topps Chrome all under $3 (and many under $2), this is one of the cheapest high-upside international star RCs you’ll see from a 2025 debut class. The Dodgers’ pedigree, combined with his proven KBO track record, gives him a built-in floor.

 

If you believe Kim’s early-season Triple-A numbers indicate he has successfully lowered his 30% strikeout rate, targeting his 2025 Topps Chrome Refractors or 2025 Bowman Chrome numbered parallels right now is a fantastic low-risk play. The buy-in is minimal, and a hot streak upon his return to Los Angeles could yield solid dividends and spark a quick rebound.

However, collectors must be realistic about their immediate runway. Unless his speed-contact combination translates to a level of play where he simply cannot be removed from the lineup, likely, he won’t be around during the dog days of summer. He could easily be sent back down to Triple-A or even traded, meaning he might not see consistent, everyday MLB playing time.

Despite the short-term playing time risks, loading up on raw base cards and select affordable autos now is a smart move before the market remembers his talent. The long-term upside remains strong if he ultimately sticks in the big leagues.