Los Angeles Dodgers utility man Hyeseong Kim followed in two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani’s footsteps on Sunday, pitching three innings during a KBO exhibition game.
Kim participated in the KBO Generation Match, an event between two teams assembled by different generations. The match took place in Seoul, South Korea, and featured players from Team Veteran, which consisted of players born in the 1900s, and Team Rising, made of players born in the 2000s.
Kim, despite being born in 1999, played on Team Rising as a special overseas entry.
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Through his three-inning outing, Kim threw 36 pitches and didn’t allow a run. He struck out two batters and allowed just three baserunners. The game ended 10-10 after seven innings, and a secondary event came in the form of a Home Run Derby after the match. Team Rising won the Home Run Derby by a score of 29-7.
Kim signed as an international free agent with the Dodgers ahead of the 2025 season, and began the season with Triple-A Oklahoma City. He played 37 games in Triple-A while maintaining a .793 OPS before the Dodgers called him up at the beginning of May.
The infielder took on a limited role at the MLB level, but impressed over the course of his first month at the top level. He had a .422 batting average through his first 45 at-bats in MLB, posting a 1.058 OPS and hitting two home runs, one against the Athletics and the other against the New York Yankees.
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Kim finished the season with a .280/.314/.385 slash line, featuring in 71 games across the season. He played just twice in the postseason, though managed to score a run during his playoff campaign.
Despite his successes, Kim expressed disappointment with the season following the Dodgers’ World Series win, and hopes to carve out a bigger role for himself in 2026.
“30 out of 100,” Kim rated his performances in 2025. “I’m not sure why, but I wasn’t satisfied. I think I have a long way to go. To fill the remaining 70 points, I need to improve in all areas. As a baseball player, I will strive to reach 100.”
Kim will look to meet his own expectations and gain a bigger role within the team in 2026 as he searches for his second World Series title.
Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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