When the San Diego Padres scouted and ultimately signed South Korean shortstop Kim Ha-seong prior to the 2021 season, they didn’t think he would blossom into the Gold Glove-winning defender that he is today.

A.J. Preller, the Padres’ president of baseball operations and general manager, acknowledged Sunday that the team “probably underestimated” Kim’s defensive chops.

“He has probably exceeded our expectations on the defensive side of things,” Preller said in a media scrum at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, ahead of the Padres’ exhibition game against the South Korean national team. “Right out of the gate, he was an impactful defensive player. Winning the Gold Glove last year (at the utility position) is a testament to that.”

Before joining the Padres, Kim had been a hard-hitting shortstop for the Kiwoom Heroes in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO). In his final season with them in 2020, Kim belted a career-high 30 home runs to lead all shortstops in the KBO. He had three other 20-homer campaigns and two se
asons in which he finished with 19. Defensively, he was considered an athletic fielder but not on an elite level.

“Honestly, I think when we scouted Ha-seong and brought him to San Diego, I think we thought he was going to be a solid defender and a very good offensive player,” Preller said. “Obviously in the KBO, we saw his progression over the years and becoming a really good offensive player. And I think pretty early on when he got to spring training in Arizona that first year, I think we realized we probably underestimated his defensive ability that he had a chance to be one of the better defenders, not just on our team but maybe in the league. And every year he keeps getting better and better in all aspects of his game.”

The Padres will play the first Major League Baseball regular season games in South Korea against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Ahead of the two-game Seoul Series, the Padres will play exhibitions versus the Korean national team and then the LG Twins of the KBO.

“I think it’s really special
anytime you get a chance to represent your city and Major League Baseball, and we take that serious and have a lot of pride,” Preller said. “We’re big supporters of the KBO and Korean baseball. So to come here and get a chance to play, we take a lot of pride in it.”

The Padres added a second South Korean player to their roster in January by signing former Twins closer Go Woo-suk. Whereas Kim’s place in the lineup is secure, Go is trying to crack the Opening Day roster of 26 this week.

He is part of the 31-man traveling squad but five players will have to be cut by 11 a.m. Wednesday.

Go has been among the best closers in the KBO over the past handful of years but has a 12.46 ERA in 4 1/3 innings so far in his first spring training.

According to Preller, Go had told the Padres that his preparation for the new season would begin later than previous campaigns, because he had pitched into November for the Twins’ run to the Korean Series title.

“He was straightforward with us just saying he’s probably starting
a little bit,” Preller said. “We made a commitment and this is for hopefully for a long time. We want to make sure that we get him right.”

Preller said the Padres know what to expect from Go as far as his adjustment process, having seen Kim experience the same thing in his early years.

“We also knew there’s going to be a learning curve just like with Ha-seong that first year,” Preller said. “He had to get used to the major style of the game. Obviously, it’s a very talented league and I think Go’s going through that but he’s shown us the ability that he’s shown here in the KBO, and now I think he’s just seeing that on a more consistent basis.”

And the Padres would be thrilled if Go can develop into the talented and popular big leaguer that Kim is today.

“Obviously we have a lot of great players on our team and a lot of super talented players and he’s as popular as anybody on our team,” Preller said of Kim, who often draws “Ha-Seong Kim!” chants from the San Diego faithful. “I think it’s his ability and his
talent and just like what he’s about. Every single day, he works really hard. He wants to be a great player and I think the fans relate to the fact that he just brings it every day in terms of energy and passion and a desire to win. I think they see the way he goes about it every single day, and it makes him one of the most popular Padres for sure.

Source: Yonhap News Agency