Kim Ha-sung (29) has been recognized for his top running ability in the Major League Baseball (MLB).
MLB homepage MLB.COM announced the best players in each of the five tool categories (contact, power, speed, defense, and shoulder) for the free agent (FA) of the stove league. With Juan Soto, the biggest fish in the FA market, and Pete Alonso, the “big gun,” being considered the power No. 1, Kim Ha-sung was considered the fastest player.
MLB.COM said, “There are not many elite runners in the FA market, but Kim Ha-sung has excellent natural speed and ability to convert his speed from a ballpark to a result.” “Kim Ha-sung’s sprint speed is 28.3 feet per second (8.63 meters), which is equivalent to the top quarter of MLB. The MLB average is 27 feet per second (8.2 meters).
Kim Ha-sung, who stole 33 bases in a single season (2019 season) during the KBO League, ranked fifth in the National League (NL) category with 38 steals in the 2023 season, his third year in the MLB. He recorded 22 this season even after leaving the league due to a shoulder injury in August.
꽁머니.COM said, “The fastest player is Garrett Hampson, who clocked 29.8 feet per second (9.08 meters), but he does not run as often as Kim. It is Kim Ha-sung who has more influence on the game.”
Meanwhile, FA Kim Ha-sung, who is looking for a new team, is likely to sign a short-term contract with an opt-out clause that allows him to go back to the market a year later. U.S. sports media predicted that Kim Ha-sung is likely to move to the San Francisco Giants. San Francisco is played by Lee Jung-hoo, Kim Ha-sung’s teammate and close junior when he was in Kiwoom.