Los angeles: Dodgers utility player Kim Hye-seong will begin his second straight season in the minors, despite swinging a hot bat in spring training. The Dodgers optioned Kim to Triple-A Oklahoma City Comets on Sunday. The two-time defending World Series champions will begin their regular season Thursday at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the move likely opens up a spot for switch-hitting infield prospect Alex Freeland on the 26-man Opening Day roster. Kim began his rookie campaign last year in the minors, too, and earned his call-up in early May. He went on to play 71 of the team's 162 games, putting up a .280/.314/.385 line with three home runs, 17 RBIs, and 13 steals. Defensively, the versatile South Korean played second base, shortstop, and center field.
Kim has also logged multiple innings at those three positions while batting .407/.448/.519 with a home run, six RBIs, and five steals in nine spring training games. On the flip side, Kim, who missed much of spring training while playing for South Korea at the World Baseball Classic this month, has struck out eight times in only 27 at-bats but drawn just one walk.
Freeland is only batting .116/.286/.233 in 18 games this spring but has worked 11 walks in 43 at-bats. "It's one of those things that you could argue both sides of either decision, as far as Alex or Hye-seong. And so I just don't think it's clear-cut," manager Dave Roberts said Friday. "We still haven't seen Hye-seong a bunch. Alex, I think he's taken great at-bats, the numbers, the surface line certainly isn't there, but it's still spring training. There's just deeper conversations that are going to be had."