Hyun-Soo Kim
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Position:
OF
Born:
1/12/1988
Height:
6'2
Weight:
220
B/T:
L/R
Acquired:
Signed as an international free agent (South Korea) on December 23, 2015 (BAL).
Most Recent Stats at Time of Debut
| 2015 SEASON STATS: Hit .326 for the Doosan Bears (KBO) with 28 HRs, 121 RBIs, 26 SBs, drawing 101 walks while fanning just 66 times. He posted a .438 OBP and a .541 SLG. |
Info & MLB Debut Date
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Already on the 40-man roster, he made club out of spring training. MLB Debut Date: 4/10/2016 |
Debut Details
| April 10, in a 5-3 win over the Rays. Batting ninth and starting in left field, he went 2-for-3 with a pair of infield hits before being removed for pinch-runner Nolan Reimold in the seventh inning. His first hit came in his first at-bat when he singled back to the mound off RHP Jake Odorizzi. He grounded out in his third at-bat before singling to shortstop in the seventh inning. |
Player Notes
| One of the most bizarre and contentious situations in O’s spring camp played out over the high-profile international signee, who inked a $7 million, two-year deal in the offseason. Nicknamed “The Machine” for his consistently excellent play, he represented South Korea in the 2009 World Baseball Classic and in his 10 years with Doosan he had a .318 BA with a .406 OBP and .488 SLG. He signed with the Orioles when he became eligible for free agency, and he was the projected starting left fielder for Baltimore when spring training began, but a very slow start and adjustment to U.S. baseball put into doubt whether he was ready for the big leagues. After hitting just .178 with no extra-base hits in 45 at-bats over 17 games this spring and not playing at all the final week of games, the Orioles wanted him to start the season in the minors to get in some more reps, but his contract allowed him to refuse a minor league assignment. Rather than release him and eat the $7 million, the Orioles kept Kim on the 25-man roster, but he had to wait nearly a week before finally getting off the bench and make his debut. |