San Diego Padres utility Ha-Seong Kim was honored with his first Gold Glove award for the 2023 MLB season, securing the utility spot in the National League.
This remarkable accomplishment also marked a historic moment, as the 28-year-old became the first Korean player to receive the award.
"Obviously, it's a great personal achievement, but also I'll be happier just to show kids in Asia that they can play infield and they can dream about coming over here," Kim expressed through interpreter Leo Bae.
In the 2023 season, Kim showcased an outstanding campaign, securing a place among the league's top players with a +10 outs above average (OAA), a range-based metric highlighting players' ability to save outs. Additionally, he achieved a notable +7 OAA as a second baseman.
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Ha-Seong Kim makes Asian history
In addition to being the inaugural Korean to claim the Gold Glove, Kim is only the second Asian player to win the award, as well as the first as an infielder.
"There's a lot of doubts, like that Asian infielders have a low success rate in the big leagues. Just being that person to have them keep their dream, that's the most important thing for me," Kim added.
Throughout the season, Kim participated in 106 games at second base, 32 games at third base, and 20 games at shortstop.
Former outfielder Ichiro Suzuki was the first Asian to win the Gold Glove, winning ten in a row from 2001 to 2010, all with the Seattle Mariners.
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