The Toronto Blue Jays are among the teams who’ve offered Korean shortstop Ha-Seong Kim a multi-year offer, according to ESPN’s Daniel Kim.
Daniel Kim reports that the Blue Jays’ offer to Ha-Seong Kim is said to be for “five years or more.”
Kim, 25, posted a .921 OPS with 30 home runs for the Kiwoom Heroes of the Korea Baseball Organization this past season. In seven years as a pro, he owns a .294/.373/.493 slash line and has hit 133 home runs (roughly 24 homers per 162 games).
As Sportsnet’s Arden Zwelling reported earlier this month, Blue Jays scouts have done their due diligence on Kim in anticipation of him being available to MLB clubs.
Zwelling noted that scouts “believe Kim’s athleticism could allow him to play all over the diamond, an obvious benefit for an organization that values versatility.”
That athleticism translates on the base paths, where Kim has stolen 56 bases in 62 attempts over the past two seasons.
It is worth nothing that Kim met with Blue Jays ace Hyun-Jin Ryu this winter, presumably to pick his brain about life in the majors.
Kim is currently posted for MLB clubs, who are allowed to negotiate with the infielder. His posting expires on Jan. 1, at which time he will either sign with an MLB team or return to the KBO.
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