Will Kim Ha-seong (San Diego) be able to surpass his dream contract of $100 million? There was also a favorable outlook that a contract worth as much as 250 billion won was possible. Despite the injury, most foreign media outlets placed Kim Ha-sung at the top of the list of free agents and expected a long-term contract.
On the 1st (Korean time), the New York Times, an American media outlet, ranked Kim Ha-seong 11th overall in its list of ‘Top 50 players expected to hit the free agent market.’ Among shortstops, he was ranked the second-highest value after Willy Adames (29, Milwaukee Brewers), who ranked second overall.
At the same time, the New York Times said, “Not only will Kim Ha-seong suffer losses that will take time to return due to surgery, but there is also a possibility that his arm strength will weaken after his return due to a problem with his throwing shoulder. “There is a possibility that I will have to move from shortstop,” he said, predicting that injuries could have an impact.
news/cms/202411/02/news-p.v1.20241102.a0f94d2471f842fe8793123c57b36fc1_R.jpg" data-width="640" data-height="455" /> Enlarged photo = Reporter Cheon Jeong-hwan
At the same time, the media predicted a huge contract, saying, “Considering the lack of shortstops in the transfer market this winter, a healthy Kim Ha-seong could receive a huge deal worth $30 million per year over a six-year contract period.”
In other words, it is expected that a contract worth 250 billion won will be possible, with a total value of 180 million dollars over 6 years, or about 248.6 billion won in Korean currency. This is a huge amount of money, approaching nearly $200 million, far exceeding the dream $100 million contract that was considered the standard for Kim Ha-seong’s jackpot contract.
It is not an amount without any basis. Another major league expert expressed a similar opinion. However, this is under the premise that ‘if there were no injuries’. Reporter Keith Law, a major league expert, ranked Kim Ha-seong 11th overall in free agency through The Athletic on the 2nd.
Meanwhile, Reporter Lo explained, “If Kim Ha-seong had maintained his health, a six-year contract with an annual salary of $30 million would have been possible,” adding, “However, with shoulder surgery expected to cause him to miss the first half of the 2025 season, his market value has fallen significantly. “He explained.
If Ha-seong Kim had suffered a shoulder injury this season and had not had surgery, he would have been able to sign a six-year contract worth $180 million. As a result, both the New York Times and Reporter Lo viewed Kim Ha-seong’s appropriate price as a six-year contract worth about $30 million per year, or $180 million, but they had different opinions on how the injury would affect the contract.
news/cms/202411/02/news-p.v1.20241102.956560c3cbcc409f95a7648bebfa265a_R.jpg" data-width="640" data-height="728" /> Enlarged photo = Reporter Cheon Jeong-hwan
In fact, the reporter highly evaluated Kim Ha-seong’s competitiveness itself. Reporter Lo said, “Ha-seong Kim has shown steady growth over the four years he has played in MLB and has emerged as a top-level shortstop. In particular, his pioneering vision and decision-making ability have improved significantly. “He has a weakness for fastballs, but his on-base percentage is high, making him an above-average hitter in the league.”
Ha-seong Kim was also named among the 25 free agents selected by MLB.com, the official website of the U.S. Major League Baseball. On the 2nd, MLB.com selected 25 free agent players who will have a big impact in the offseason and classified Kim Ha-seong as a shortstop, ranking him 17th. He is also the second-ranked shortstop after Willy Adames, who is ranked eighth overall. However, unlike other media outlets, the rankings of Adames and Kim Ha-seong were somewhat harsh.
MLB.com predicted the transfer, saying, “Ha-seong Kim missed six weeks of the final season due to a right shoulder injury, and it is likely that his time in San Diego will end now.” Ha-seong Kim, the 2023 Gold Glove winner, is among the shortstops in the offseason. He is the second best player. “If the shoulder problem is resolved, suitors will appear,” he predicted.
news/cms/202411/02/news-p.v1.20241102.b4fc387ad0294f1c97aa8837e9025fa2_R.jpg" data-width="640" data-height="407" /> Enlarged photo = Reporter Cheon Jeong-hwan
At the same time, the media also mentioned strong teams such as the San Francisco Giants, Boston Red Sox, and Atlanta Braves as teams that would be interested in Ha-seong Kim. This is because they are clubs with a big market and are a team that will challenge to win the district championship and the World Series next season.
The media’s outlook is mixed, but overall, the possibility of a huge contract seems to be increasing. The value of Kim Ha-seong, who grew up at Kiwoom Heroes and signed a 4+1 year contract with San Diego for a guaranteed amount of $28 million, up to $39 million, ahead of the 2021 season, is showing signs of rising several times in just a few years.
If Kim Ha-seong does not declare his free agency rights and remains in San Diego, he can receive an annual salary of $8 million. But as of now, the possibility seems slim. It is possible that the size of the contract will vary greatly depending on Kim Ha-seong’s physical condition. As long as his health is guaranteed, the possibility of a new $100 million club player being born is gradually increasing.
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