Hyeseong

Kim

Kim entered the spring as the favorite to start at second base while Tommy Edman was sidelined, so this one comes as a major surprise, especially after he hit .407 (11-for-27) with a homer, six RBI and five stolen bases during Cactus League play. Santiago Espinal and Alex Freeland are expected to function in a platoon at the position now that Kim has been demoted.

Espinal has officially made Los Angeles’ season-opening roster as a reserve infielder. The 31-year-old journeyman has looked rejuvenated this spring, hitting .389 (14-for-36) with two homers, 13 RBI and one steal in 15 Cactus League contests. He’ll help solidify second base along with speedster Hyseseong Kim while Tommy Edman (ankle) is on the injured list to open the season. He can be safely ignored for fantasy purposes.

Kim’s clutch homer came against Japanese reliever Hiromi Itoh, the reigning Sawamura Award winner, in the fourth inning. It left is bat at 106 mph and traveled an impressive 410 feet, per Statcast. The 27-year-old speedster has made some noise in Dodgers camp this spring, showcasing overhauled swing mechanics, which have enabled him to drive the ball more consistently. He’s poised to open the regular season as Los Angeles’ starting second baseman while Tommy Edman recovers from offseason ankle surgery. He could deliver some sneaky early-season fantasy value, especially in deeper formats.

According to California Post’s Jack Harris, “They focused on Kim’s legs, trying to get [him] to use the ground to generate more power and stability. Then, they honed in on the alignment of his torso and back, making subtle adjustments aimed at keeping Kim squared up to the ball longer.” Kim struggled in his first MLB season last year, finishing with a .280 batting average, but a .699 OPS and a 30.6 percent strikeout rate. If he’s able to handle breaking balls better this season, Kim could start at second base until Tommy Edman (ankle) returns.

Kim is 6-for-13 so far, so he’s exiting having made a nice early impression. He’s competing with Miguel Rojas and Alex Freeland to be the Dodgers’ second baseman with Tommy Edman out.

With Tommy Edman (ankle) set to open the season on the injured list, there’s some runway for Kim to make some early-season noise. The 27-year-old speedster offers enough stolen base upside to matter in deeper mixed leagues as a temporary stopgap option. He’ll occupy a versatile bench role with the Dodgers once their ever-expanding Death Star of a lineup is back at full power.

Kim singled in two runs in the first inning, and he added a third RBI on a single an inning later. The 27-year-old will get a chance to win the second base job with Tommy Edman out to begin the year, and while there’s not much power, his ability to hit for average and steal bases makes him a sneaky play to begin 2026.

The versatile 30-year-old had been hopeful that he would be able to make it back in time for the regular season to begin, but the Dodgers don’t want to push him too hard in his rehab and risk further aggravation. That could open up the second base job for Hyesong Kim, though Miguel Rojas could see time there as well.

Edman added that he recently resumed baseball activities after undergoing surgery last November on his right ankle. The versatile 30-year-old is expected to focus primarily on second base this upcoming season after dealing with recurring ankle issues throughout last year. It would likely be Hyseong Kim taking over at the keystone in his absence. He’s more of a late-round draft and stash candidate in fantasy drafts this spring.

Kim blistered a two-run homer deep to right off Bryce Miller. It’s the third MLB homer for Kim, and he ends his first campaign with a .280/.315/.388 slash. The 26-year-old will be a utility option for the Dodgers in their postseason run.