Today is Decision Day for Possible Cubs Target Hyeseong Kim

[Matthew Trueblood]

The KBO star second baseman must sign a deal by 4 PM Central, or stay in Korea and eschew this chance to join an MLB team.

Image courtesy of © Mandi Wright-Imagn Images

Ever since the Cubs traded Isaac Paredes as part of the Kyle Tucker trade, there has been some speculation that they would pivot toward a compensatory reinforcement of their infield. On Thursday, one of their rumored targets, Josh Rojas, signed a one-year deal with the White Sox instead, but Friday brings a decision point for another intriguing option: Korean infielder Hyeseong Kim. Not to be confused with countryman and former double-play partner Ha-Seong Kim, the younger man was posted earlier this offseason by the Kiwoom Heroes, and he has until this afternoon to sign with an MLB organization.

If you need a refresher on who Kim is, you can find it here; he's been on our radar as a possible Cubs target all offseason. In short, he's an athletic infielder who bats left-handed, making him a similarly strong fit for the team's infield to the one Rojas would have been. His speed is an element Rojas didn't bring, and he seems to have superb plate discipline, but there might be an issue with the quality of his contact in the big leagues. Our best guess is that those concerns about whether he can generate any power against MLB pitching have slowed and deflated his market, but he should still be a viable big-league role player.

Recall that the Cubs have invested heavily in a new baserunning and basestealing infrastructure this winter, by adding two coaches to the MLB staff and a new minor-league coordinator for that dimension of the game. Kim, who stole 30 bases in 36 tries last season and has averaged almost exactly those totals over the last seven years, could help them further expand their running game. At even a .340 OBP, he'd be in position to steal a bunch of bases, and his mark in the KBO for the last two years is .390. Again, there's likely to be a steep discount on those numbers based on his skill set and the way big-league teams will attack him, but Kim looks like a competent hitter whose legs can make him dangerous. He'd also be a complement and a hedge for Matt Shaw at third base.

Other teams might offer Kim a clearer path to playing time, so the Cubs would probably have to make him a clearly superior financial offer to land him. He could be a great addition for them, though, thanks not only to his own versatility but to the way his presence on the roster would unlock more of their overall team flexibility. Signing Kim would reopen the option of trading Nico Hoerner to Seattle or San Diego, in the right deals, to land the team a top-flight starting pitcher. It would also make it easier to part with James Triantos in a trade.

It seems unlikely that Kim will sign with the Cubs, simply because we haven't heard any inkling of that connection to this point. It does make sense, though, and his market has been strangely quiet in general. By the end of today, we'll see how things shake out. One way or another, one more option will be foreclosed. If the Cubs swoop in and sign Kim, though, they'll still have plenty of financial flexibility, and one of their remaining offseason checklist items will be complete.

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