Kim Ha Seong, a 29-year-old South Korean player who became a free agent after leaving the San Diego Padres in Major League Baseball (MLB), has signed a two-year contract with the Tampa Bay Rays.
According to U.S. media outlets such as MLB.com and ESPN, sources reported on Thursday that Kim signed a two-year deal with Tampa Bay worth a total of $29 million.
According to reports, Kim will receive $13 million for 2025 and $16 million for the following season.
Kim’s $13 million salary this year is the highest on the team. Since signing a four-year, $34 million free agent deal with outfielder Greg Vaughn in 1999, Tampa Bay has made its largest financial investment in Kim.
If Kim records 325 plate appearances this season, he will also receive an additional $2 million. His contract also includes an opt-out clause, allowing him to become a free agent again after the 2025 season.
ESPN noted that Kim could enter next year’s free-agent market with his opt-out, where middle infielders are scarce. The report compared him to shortstop Bo Bichette and second baseman Luis Arráez, who are of similar caliber.
Kim, who previously played for the Kiwoom Heroes in the KBO League, joined the big leagues through the posting system after the 2020 season, signing a 4+1-year contract with San Diego.
Over four MLB seasons, Kim played in 540 games, recording a batting average of .242, 47 home runs, 200 RBIs, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) of .706.
He stood out as an infield utility player, displaying top-tier defensive skills in MLB. In 2023, he became the first Korean major leaguer to win a Gold Glove in the utility category.
Kim declared free agency after declining the one-year extension option following his four-year contract. U.S. media previously projected that he could sign a contract worth around $100 million. However, no team offered him a long-term deal due to a shoulder injury last season.
Teams such as the San Francisco Giants, Detroit Tigers, and New York Yankees, which were linked to Kim, eventually signed other free-agent infielders to fill their roster gaps.
With his contract delayed, there were even rumors that Kim might sign a deal after the season began. However, Tampa Bay ultimately made him a favorable offer, allowing him to find a new home.