As winter approached and Hyeseong Kim planned his transition to Major League Baseball, he sought counsel from fellow Koreans who had blazed this trail before. Specifically, he looked to Chan Ho Park and Hyun-Jin Ryu, both former Dodgers. One key piece of guidance they offered was a surprising one: the importance of maintaining a wholesome diet. Kim, as his new teammate Freddie Freeman noted, seems to be adhering to this advice, maintaining a commendable body-fat percentage in the preparation process.
While the focus on nutrition is important, Kim will also be met with another, perhaps more formidable, challenge in his journey to MLB. This obstacle stems from the marked acceleration in pace – Major League Baseball boasts a velocity that is starkly higher than what Kim would be dealing to in Korea. This translates to a substantial difference in the average speed of fastballs.
Analyzing the numbers reveals the magnitude of this leap. While the KBO, or Korean Baseball Organization, had an average fastball velocity of 90 mph last season, in the MLB, the same stat was a good 3.8 mph higher over the past two years. The 26-year-old Kim has been mindful of this discrepancy and has focused his training on mastering high-velocity fastballs.
Kim’s impressive baseball journey began with a shining track record in the KBO. Over his eight seasons, he maintained an admirable average of .304. When Kim reached Camelback Ranch to commence his MLB journey, he was quick to jump into a series of body assessments and various physical tests.
Not only did Kim arrive in good physical shape, but he also demonstrated excellent preparedness in terms of his skill set. He has been dedicating a significant amount of time to refining the direction and path of his batting, areas that the coaches have identified for potential improvement.
While Kim’s batting is a focus, the Dodgers’ staff also acknowledges the breadth of talent Kim offers. The team’s hitting coach, Aaron Bates, has been vocal about his admiration for Kim’s bat-to-ball skills and is optimistic about his potential for greatness in the league. For Bates, the focus is on perfecting what’s already strong in Kim’s game, rather than overhauling his style.
It’s more than batting alone which makes Kim promising. The Dodgers are hopeful that Kim will be able to swiftly hone his defensive skills too. He comes with a reputable defensive background, having won the KBO’s Gold Glove award for his performances at the second base for three consecutive seasons, besides securing it at the shortstop position the year before.
The confidence in Kim’s defensive capabilities extends right up to the top, with Dodgers manager Dave Roberts not just expecting but foreseeing that Kim’s transition into the defense will be smooth. In fact, Roberts sees Kim as a genuine all-rounder, who could become a game-changer based solely on his defensive prowess.
Apart from Kim’s talent in batting and defense, Dave Roberts is also impressed by Kim’s ability to strategically put balls into play and capitalize on his athleticism in running. Reiterating the need for practice, Roberts has planned an intensive training regime for Kim, to ensure he gains maximum exposure to big-league play.
Kim’s dedication and zeal have been noticed and admired. He’s quickly understood the requisites of the new league and showed an admirable learning curve already. But while the Dodgers are optimistic about this new import, they are also managing a few bumps in their current roster.
Their reliever, Michael Kopech, hasn’t been able to stay on schedule during this preseason. As things stand, he may not be a part of the active team when the season kicks off. Kopech highlights that his delayed progress is primarily owed to personal challenges he and his family had to navigate in January, rather than any notable physical concerns.
Kopech acknowledges that he did experience some ‘general inflammation’ during the postseason, but dismisses it as anything major or potentially concerning. To further peach minds about his health, Kopech confirmed that an MRI scan found no damage to his forearm. This was particularly assuring given his medical history, as he had undergone Tommy John surgery on the same arm back in September 2018.
Presently, Kopech’s limited preseason workouts have him confined to long-tossing from a distance of 90 feet during the opening week of camp. However, while Kopech might be starting the season on the injured list, things aren’t set in stone, and circumstances could shift quickly.
For both the seasoned reliever and the new rookie, the journey ahead in this season is packed with unique challenges and potential. Kim’s MLB journey rests on swiftly understanding and adapting to a new style of play. As for Kopech, the challenge lies in regaining fitness and swiftly getting back into his usual rhythm. But as any follower of baseball knows, with dedication and hard work, any game can turn around quickly.