Padres add dynamic KBO infielder Sung-mun Song, Ha-Seong Kim's former teammate. Expect power, speed, and infield versatility for San Diego.
The San Diego Padres got off to an awfully quiet start in MLB free agency. But, that all changed starting on Thursday night.
Out of nowhere, the Padres signed Michael King to a three-year deal that could be worth $75 million.
King's return was a surprise especially with reports emerging that the Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees were the finalists in the King sweepstakes.
On Friday, the good news continued as the Padres agreed to a three-year deal with Korean infielder Sung-mun Song, as Robert Murray of Fansided first reported.
Song's time to sign a deal with an MLB team was running out, but he is now coming to San Diego.
Last season in the KBO, he played primarily third base, but he can very likely move around the infield in a utility role.
He hit .315 with 37 2B, 26 HR, 90 RBI, 25 SB and a .917 OPS in the KBO in 2025.
According to Francys Romero, Song's deal is for around $13 million over three years, and he draws comparisons to former Padres infielder Ha-Seong Kim and Dodgers utilityman Hye-Seong Kim.
Song's deadline to sign an MLB deal was December 30.
Song is a former teammate of Ha-Seong Kim and he played this past season for the Korea Baseball Organization’s Kiwoom Heroes.
What Are The Padres Getting In Song?
After the news surfaced, Dennis Lin of The Athletic gave a breakdown of Song's skillset.
"Some talent evaluators project Song as more of a big-league utility player than an everyday player. He significantly improved his offensive production over the past two seasons in the KBO, logging an OPS above .900 in both years after annually finishing below .700 from 2021-23. (For comparison, Kim produced an OPS above .800 in each of his six full seasons in the KBO.) Song has primarily played third base, with additional experience at second base and first base."
As it stands, Song is a role player who can be used off the bench, and with the Padres current infield, that could be the case.
Luis Arraez's departure opens the way for Jake Cronenworth to move to first base, but Cronenworth's name has been discussed in some trade rumblings.
If Cronenworth is moved, it could mean Song can play either first base or second base, and there is a path to him seeing a decent amount of playing time in San Diego in 2026.