During Spring Training, Hyeseong Kim competed to become the Los Angeles Dodgers’ starting second baseman while Tommy Edman was unavailable. Alex Freeland ultimately won the job.

Kim began the season with Triple-A Oklahoma City and spent limited time in Los Angeles. He appeared in only 43 games and produced little when opportunities arrived.

Kim hit .259/.323/.328 with one home run, 11 RBIs, 16 runs scored and five stolen bases.

His minor-league results were not much better. He hit .262/.330/.345 with three home runs, 31 RBIs, 58 runs scored and 15 stolen bases in 85 games in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.

Following his disappointing season, Kim posted a message on Instagram apologizing for his performance, thanking Dodgers fans and the organization for supporting him and promising improvement in 2027.

Kim expressed disappointment in himself for failing to perform better but emphasized that he never regretted choosing Los Angeles.

He said he loves the Dodgers, remains grateful to the organization and its supporters and intends to become a better person and player next year.

“Looking back on this season, I’m sorry I couldn’t show you better performances, and I was deeply disappointed in myself as well. Still, I sincerely thank everyone who supported me through it all,” Kim wrote.

The 2027 season will carry significant consequences for Kim’s Dodgers future and potentially his MLB career. It is the last guaranteed year of his three-year, $12.5 million contract before Los Angeles holds team options for 2028 and 2029.

Another poor season would likely convince the Dodgers to move on, and Kim is not guaranteed to remain with the organization throughout the offseason.

Repeating his 2026 performance could also cause other organizations to view him strictly as minor league depth, increasing the pressure entering next season.

However, Miguel Rojas’ retirement and Kiké Hernández reaching free agency could create bench openings. Los Angeles is likely to move on from Hernández, potentially improving Kim’s chances of remaining.

The Dodgers also need to become younger, and Kim will enter 2027 at 28 years old. He provides a speed element no other player on the roster offers.

His ability to cover the middle infield could also help after the loss of two bench infielders, although he would again compete with Freeland.

Speed and defense alone will not keep Kim on an MLB roster. His offensive production must improve.

Kim received patience in 2025 while adjusting to stronger competition after moving from South Korea to the United States. That benefit has expired, leaving him responsible for proving he belongs in MLB.

The Dodgers have spent two seasons adjusting his swing mechanics to create consistency and more power, believing those issues contributed to his struggles.

An offseason reset could help Kim, but an impending lockout would prevent him from working with Dodgers hitting coaches once it begins. That creates another obstacle during the most important offseason of his career.