“Is there a player more underrated than Kim Ha Seong?”
Kim Ha Seong (29, the San Diego Padres) could be honored with his first All-Star game start in his fourth year in the major league. On the 9th (Korean time), Bleacher Report listed and predicted 15 players who could make their first appearance in the All-Star game of the 2024 season.
Kim Ha Seong and Bobby Witt Jr. (the Kansas City Royals) were selected in the shortstop category. The two are predicted to represent the National League and the American League in the All-Star game. Bleacher Report asked, “Is there a player more underrated than Kim Ha Seong?”
In the 2023 season, Kim Ha Seong recorded 140 hits in 538 at-bats, a batting average of 0.260, 17 home runs, 60 RBIs, 84 runs, and 38 steals in 152 games, with an OPS of 0.749. According to Baseball Reference, he ranked 8th in the National League with a WAR of 5.8. He was among the top players in the entire major league until mid-season.
Kim Ha Seong ended up ranking 14th in the National League MVP vote. He won a National League Gold Glove in the utility category. And he returned to shortstop for the first time in two years. He was recognized for his skills to the extent that he sent Xander Bogaerts, a superstar with a $280 million contract, to second base.
Kim Ha Seong is listed as a player who will challenge for a Gold Glove in the shortstop category this season. And his first appearance in the All-Star game is not a dream. Bleacher Report stated, “This 28-year-old player has made rapid progress in his first three years in the major league after becoming a regular in the KBO. He recorded a WAR of 5 or more for two consecutive years (5.0 in the 2022 season).”
Bleacher Report continued, “His improved base-on-balls percentage (from 8.8% to 12.0%) and more aggressive base running (from 12 steals to 38 steals) have helped raise his offensive value. He has regularly demonstrated elite defense throughout the San Diego infield and set a career-high with 17 home runs. San Diego highly values Kim Ha Seong’s defensive ability to the extent that they gave away the starting shortstop position to Kim over the player signed to a $28 million contract for 11 years just after one season.”
Kim Ha Seong is off to a good start this year. He has recorded 6 hits in 15 at-bats, a batting average of 0.400, 1 home run, 3 RBIs, 3 runs, and 2 steals in seven exhibition games. His first face-off with Lee Jung Hoo (the San Francisco Giants) on the 9th was rained out. This weekend, he will play in the Seoul Series at the Gocheok Sky Dome, his previous home stadium, during his time with the Kiwoom Heroes.
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