Report: Orioles to sign Korean outfielder Hyun-soo Kim
The Baltimore Orioles have reached an agreement with Korean outfielder Hyun-soo Kim, Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun reports. The deal is said to be worth $7 million over two years and could be finalized as soon as Thursday when Kim arrives in the United States.
Kim was spotted boarding a plane to Washington DC on Wednesday night, leading to speculation that a potential deal was near. It appears all that remains now is the passing of a physical exam and signatures from the necessary parties.
Kim, who will soon turn 28, had expressed interest in coming to MLB according to a report by Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan last month. He reached free agent eligibility after nine seasons with the KBO’s Doosan Bears and reportedly drew interest from several teams. The Orioles were in the bidding from the beginning and ultimately landed him on a reasonable deal.
Kim is coming off a big 2015 season in which he hit .326/.438/.541 with a career-high 28 home runs. Overall, he’s hit .318/.406/.488 batting line over 10 seasons in the Korea Baseball Organization. So he brings a track record of success and experience playing in a respectable league, along with potential upside seeing as he’s just now entering his prime. But there are concerns as well about how his game will translate.
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If he does pan out well, he’ll be a bargain for Baltimore, who could use the offensive punch from a corner outfield position. He’d also be in line for a nice raise in two years. If he doesn’t pan out, there’s reason to believe his floor would still be that of a usable fourth outfielder, which still returns value for the Orioles.
At the reported price, it’s a worthwhile investment just to see what Hyun-soo Kim might be able to bring to MLB.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813
