Ha-Seong Kim Begins Rehab Assignment With Rays, Eyes Return After Shoulder Surgery

Following shoulder surgery and a new contract, Ha-Seong Kim is back on the field in Triple-A, aiming to rejoin the Rays in a few weeks with fantasy value tied to his speed and on-base skills.

Former San Diego Padres shortstop Ha-Seong Kim (7) leaves the game after an injury in the third inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

The Rays shipped Ha-Seong Kim out to AAA on Monday to begin his road back to Tampa Bay after having right shoulder surgery (labrum) last October. In late January, they had enough confidence in his health to sign him to a two-year, $29 million contract.

After delivering below replacement-level stats over his first two seasons with the Padres (.235/85/19/93/18 over 784 at-bats), Kim proved to be a fantasy value in 2023. He set career highs in at-bats (538), runs (84), home runs (17), RBIs (60), and stolen bases (38), with a much better approach (walk rate – 12.0).

Last season, Kim missed the final six weeks of the season with his shoulder injury. He was on a competitive pace in his overall stats (60 runs, 11 home runs, 47 RBIs, and 22 stolen bases) over 403 at-bats, but he was making weaker contact based on his batting average (.233).

In his first rehab game (5/26), Kim went 2-for-2 with a stolen base while playing DH. Since the middle of May, he has been taking infield and trying to build up his arm strength. Tampa will give him time to get his bat in rhythm in the minors while also finding a balance with his recovery on the defensive side of the game.

1st AB ✅
1st hit ✅@RaysBaseball's Ha-Seong Kim rips a single to left on his 1st swing of the year as part of his MLB Rehab Assignment! pic.twitter.com/xCfM3hbBSN

— Durham Bulls (@DurhamBulls) May 26, 2025

Kim has a shot at being back in the majors in a couple of weeks, and his speed should play well in the Rays' lineup. If his walk rate (12.1) aligns with his previous two seasons, Tampa may push him to second in their batting order. He should be a free agent in most 12- and 15-team formats. Kim projects as a neutral player in four categories while offering the most help to fantasy teams in stolen bases.