On November 6, 2023, Ha-seong Kim of the San Diego Padres became the first Korean and the first Asian infielder to win the Gold Glove.

The Gold Glove is awarded to the best defensive player at each position and is one of the most prestigious awards in Major League Baseball. Ha-seong Kim is the first Korean and the second Asian after Ichiro Suzuki in 2010 to receive the Gold Glove. His achievement is particularly noteworthy as the first Asian infielder to win, breaking the long-standing Major League bias that Asian players lack the physical ability to thrive as infielders.

 

"Awesome Kim"

This nickname for Ha-seong Kim, who plays defense with acrobatic zeal and no regard for his own safety, is well-earned. His helmet often comes off during his intense sprints, becoming a trademark of his style. Recently, his batting, once considered a weakness, has improved to above-average, leading a U.S. sports media outlet to proclaim his signing as "the greatest achievement of the San Diego general manager."

* To address concerns over Kim's risk of injury, the San Diego team custom-made a "Ha-seong Kim helmet."

"I’ve seen many prospects, but I've never seen a player so innocent in his personal life." 

- Heroes Scout

"He adapts quickly to new environments and has an excellent work ethic. He has earned high marks for his year-on-year growth."
- San Diego Scout

Ha-seong Kim, who joined a pro team at 19 and made it to the Major Leagues in about 7 years, has talent that often garners attention. However, scouts unanimously praise his work ethic*. His willingness to switch positions as needed for the team, not just excel in his own, is a testament to his attitude. In his early pro days, then Nexen Heroes manager Yeom Kyung-yup took note of this and gave him opportunities in first-team games rather than relegating him to the minor leagues.

* Work Ethic: Often referred to as professional consciousness, it signifies the level of dedication in one's work.

The Gold Glove Utility category, which Kim won, was created last year to reflect MLB's recent trend toward multi-position players. Kim played three positions this year - second base, shortstop, and third base - and attributes his ability to play so many different positions to his "second nature".
 

Kim's primary position is shortstop, but he played against some of the best shortstops of his time, including Park Hyo-joon and Kang Jeong-ho. Due to the competition for positions, he was often forced to play other positions. However, this situation gave Kim the opportunity to experience both shortstop and second and third base. Unlike other players who get frustrated when their main position is taken away from them, he did his best in the other positions he was given, and as a result, he developed into a major league all-around infielder.

 

* Ho-Jun Park, a year junior to Kim, bypassed Korean professional baseball and went directly from high school to the New York Yankees, starting his Major League career.

 

 

Major League experts attribute another key to Kim's success as his openness to 'feedback.' Changing a set form for a pro player with established habits is nearly impossible. Yet, Kim displays an improved batting form each year, evidencing his extensive practice. Former WBC U.S. team manager Mark DeRosa analyzed Kim's evolving batting form on air, drawing attention.

"He's like the engine of our team. The lineup's caliber changed since we used Kim as the leadoff. Had we done this from the start of the season, our team's performance would have been different. That's my mistake."
 - Bob Melvin, former San Diego Padres manager

Over the past three years, Kim has recorded a DRS* of +46, ranking third in Major League Baseball for his dominant defensive ability. This year, he achieved a batting average of .260 and an OPS* of .749, showing above-average offensive skills and ranking first in bWAR* on his team. There's much anticipation for Kim's fourth season in the Major Leagues.

*DRS(Defensive Run Saved) : A number showing runs prevented by defense (defensive evaluation indicator)
**OPS(On-based Plus Slugging) : A number combining slugging percentage and on-base percentage (offensive efficiency indicator)
***bWAR(baseball reference WAR) : Wins Above Replacement as measured by Baseball-Reference, showing a player's contribution to the team compared to a replacement-level player.