How Hyeseong Kim Can Make His Way Onto Dodgers Roster

The Los Angeles Dodgers effectively finalized their Opening Day roster on Sunday with the decision to option Hyeseong Kim to Triple-A Oklahoma City. In doing so, it cemented Alex Freeland's status as the left-handed hitting platoon option at second base.

"It's a gut punch, for sure," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Kim not making the team to star the season. "No one works harder than he does. You kind of encourage him and you're proud he went to the WBC to represent his country.

"You don't run away from the fact he had a good spring while he was here, but I think the driver is him playing six days a week and logging a considerable number of at-bats, which he wouldn't get here. And the ability to kick all over the diamond."

Dodgers want Hyeseong Kim to improve

On the surface, Kim had a very productive Spring Training as he batted .407/.448/.519 with one home run and six RBI. However, he also struck out eight times in 27 at-bats and was prone to frequently expanding the zone.

"Just the quality of at-bat, the chase," Roberts answered when asked where the Dodgers would like for Kim to improve while with Oklahoma City. "I do think he's been much better versus right-handed pitching. I just think he needs to play more. I really do.

"I just think at-bats is going to help him be a big leaguer for quite some time."

Prior to leaving Dodgers Spring Training to join Team Korea in the World Baseball Classic, Kim went 9-for-13 with a 1.154 on-base plus slugging percentage, one home run and five RBI across five Cactus League games.

That didn't amount to success in the international tournament, however, as Kim recorded just two hits--one of which was a homer-in 12 at-bats over four WBC games. He missed Korea's final game in pool play because of jamming a finger on his left hand while stealing second base.

Kim returned to the lineup for the quarterfinal matchup against the Dominican Republic, but went 0-for-3 with one strikeout in Korea's 10-0 loss that was final after seven innings due to the mercy rule.

Upon returning to camp with the Dodgers, Roberts remarked that he felt Kim's swing was "out of sync." Kim nevertheless went on a five-game hitting streak while also adding three stolen bases to close out his spring. But that still included striking out once in three of those games.

Should he make strides in that area as the Dodgers desire, it will put Kim back into the conversation if a need arises on the roster. But the reality is whether Freeland or Kim, the roster spot is relatively temporary as Tommy Edman is expected to return around the end of April.