Padres’ Kim Ha-seong expected to steal up to 15 bases

Will South Korean baseball players Kim Ha-seong of the San Diego Padres and Yang Hyeon-jong of the Texas Rangers, who are set to make their major-league debut this year, be able to be included in the starting lineup in the regular-season opener?

There are both expectations and concerns about Kim Ha-seong. The East Village Times reported on Tuesday that Kim “possesses a rare combination of speed and power,” predicting that he will steal 10-15 bases and will “drive the ball in the gap and surprise a few teams.” The MLB.com also expected Kim to be included in the 25-man roster as a back-up infielder.

There are concerns that Kim needs to amend his swing. The East Village Times wrote that Kim will need to work on the leg-kick and timing mechanisms to hit major league fastballs.

Meanwhile, there are mixed opinions on Yang Hyeon-jong. The Athletic wrote on Monday that they were 100% certain that Yang would make the team when they first predicted the Opening Day team but now they think he has a slim chance of grabbing a spot in the bullpen. It went on to say that he could be the first man up if something goes wrong. The MLB.com, on the other hand, wrote on Tuesday that Yang is expected to be included in the 25-man roster as a lefty bullpen pitcher.


leper@donga.com