The New York Yankees’ quest to rebuild their roster after the departure of Juan Soto is not finished. GM Brian Cashman and his front office still need to add an infielder to round out their infield. Landing Ha-Seong Kim could be the perfect solution to complete Aaron Boone’s everyday lineup.
As it stands, New York would need to rely on veteran DJ LeMahieu to be the starter at either second or third base. Jazz Chisholm can man either spot but would likely move back to his more familiar spot at second if LeMahieu makes his way into the starting lineup. The problem with that plan is that LeMahieu was one of the weakest hitters in baseball last season. Betting on him to bounce back in 2025 is not a sound plan of action for the Yankees.
Instead, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic ($) suggests that Cashman and his staff should consider going after Ha-Seong Kim in free agency. His market has been slow to take off due to a shoulder injury that will likely keep him out until early in the regular season. New York might be able to take advantage of that by signing him to a bargain contract.
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In many ways, Kim would be the perfect response to Gleyber Torres’ tenure in the Yankee infield. He lacks the power that made Torres such a tantalizing player, but he’s superior in every other facet of the game.
Kim is an excellent fielder at either middle infield spot. He would be a great boost to the Yankees’ pitching staff as a player who can combine with Anthony Volpe to give the team one of the best middle infield combos in the game.
Another underrated aspect of Kim’s game is the value he can give the Yankees with his speed. He stole 22 bases for the Padres last year and is widely regarded as a solid baserunner. That was a major weakness of Torres’ which helped lead to the end of his tenure with New York.
Time will tell if the Yankees are willing to meet Kim’s contract demands but he fits the team’s roster needs like a glove. It’s possible he’ll be hitting leadoff for the team in 2025.
