In this Associated Press file photo from Sept. 25, 2023, San Diego Padres third baseman Kim Ha-seong throws out San Francisco Giants’ Patrick Bailey at first base during a Major League Baseball regular season game at Oracle Park in San Francisco. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Nov. 20 (Korea Bizwire) — San Diego Padres’ infielder Kim Ha-seong said Monday he was “honored” to have become the first South Korean player to win a Gold Glove award in Major League Baseball (MLB), adding that he is also glad to have inspired the younger generation of players with his achievement.
Kim won the National League (NL) Gold Glove in the utility position earlier this month, earning recognition for his defensive versatility around the diamond. Kim, who was also nominated for the Gold Glove at second base, played 106 games at second, 32 games at third and 20 games at shortstop.
“I am really honored to be the first Korean winner of a Gold Glove,” Kim said at a press conference in Seoul. “I am also happy that I have inspired and motivated young, aspiring major leaguers.”
The utility category was added last year, in line with a growing tendency among major league clubs to deploy skilled defenders at multiple positions. Kim beat out Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tommy Edman of the St. Louis Cardinals, two highly accomplished defenders, to nab his historic Gold Glove.
“I thought it would have been nice to win in both categories,” Kim said. “But if I had to win one, I really wanted to win the utility category. In MLB today, teams really value versatile players.”
Kim was a Gold Glove finalist for the shortstop position in 2022. He then had to slide over to second base after the Padres signed an All-Star shortstop Xander Bogaerts in free agency over the winter. Kim said he didn’t mind the position switch all that much.
“I’d be lying if I said it didn’t put any pressure on me to switch positions, but I was not in a situation where I could be picky,” said Kim, who has just completed his third big league season. “I already told the team that getting consistent playing time was more important to me than playing at a specific position. I said I’d do my best no matter where I play.”
Kim said he was sleeping in while Gold Glove winners were being announced online during the late morning hours of Korean time on Nov. 6.
“I only woke up because my phone kept vibrating with messages,” Kim said with a smile. “They announced the second base position first and the utility category was the last. I think I’d have been a nervous wreck if I’d been watching it live, because I didn’t win it at second base. It’s a good thing I was asleep.”
(Yonhap)
