“Kevin Sim’s father hit more than 300 home runs in the KBO for 15 years.”
All attention is focused on Lee Jeong-hoo (Kiwoom Heroes), who announced his entry into the Major League (MLB) with Ryu Hyun-jin (Toronto Blue Jays) and Kim Ha-seong (San Diego Padres), but here is another promising slugger who dreams of becoming a big leaguer. 먹튀검증
This is Kevin Shim (Korean name Jong-Hyeon Shim), the son of the KBO League’s legendary slugger Shim Jeong-Soo (48) and a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks’ minor league team.
Sports Illustrated (SI)’s Fan Nation Inside the Diamondbacks shed light on Kevin Sim on the 14th (Korean time) with an article entitled ‘Arizona’s 30th Top Prospect of 2024: Kevin Sim.’
Kevin Sim joined Arizona as the 148th overall pick in the fifth round of the second round of the MLB draft last July. His signing bonus was $421,100 (553 million won).
His father’s career became a hot topic in Korea as well. Kevin Shim’s father, Shim Jeong-su, was a representative right-handed slugger who hit 328 home runs with a batting average of 0.287 over a 15-year period. He became the home run king (31) in 2007 and was a hitter who dominated an era along with Lee Seung-yeop (current Doosan Bears coach), the all-time home run leader. He hit 53 home runs in 2003. He was a player who focused more on weight training than anyone else and was called ‘Hercules’ because he boasted enormous arm thickness and great power.
Kevin immigrated to San Diego with his family at the age of seven and attended high school at Torrey Pines to attend a local university and played as an athlete. In his three years there before being drafted by Arizona, he batted .285 and hit 27 home runs.
He is 188cm tall and weighs 93kg, and like his father, he is expected to be a promising slugger based on his sturdy physique.
The media evaluated his tools by giving him 50 points for hitting, power, and throwing, 40 points for defense and base running, and 40 points overall.
Nevertheless, the reason we cannot hide our expectations is because of its power. “We think he’s a tough third baseman. He’s always had power,” said Arizona scouting director Ian Levan, according to the media. “He was a player we scouted at the Chase Field combine and he played really well there, showing raw power.” “He has the ability to protect third base and the ability to be a threatening right-handed hitter in the corner,” he said.
He showed some potential this season. He played just four games in the Rookie League before being promoted to Class A to play for Byselia. In a total of 33 games, he played with a batting average of 0.288, 3 home runs, 14 RBI, and an OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.777. The media commented, “It was a solid summer debut.”
By far the key is hitting. As for expectations for 2024, the media said, “His hitting is part of his overall profile. Considering his hitting and power, Kevin Sim will have to deal with at least a few left-handed pitchers to carve out a future in the MLB,” and “He is the only player in Arizona’s system who can hit. “There is a high possibility that he will start 2024 in High-A Hillsboro, an extremely pitcher-friendly league.”
He then emphasized, “The two statistics to pay most attention to as he has power are his strikeout and ground ball rates.” This season he had a strikeout/walk ratio of 31/10.
Kevin Sim played first and second base, including third base, which is listed as his main position this season. The media, which also predicted that he could play as a left fielder, said, “The problem is that he is a right-handed hitter and can be used in a platoon system,” and added, “Considering Arizona’s outfield situation, he may have to face competition, but to become a potential starting resource, he needs to be a left fielder. seems to be the optimal location,” he suggested.
Of course, it was predicted that it would be difficult to see him perform in the big leagues right away. The media, which predicted 2026 as the time to be called up to the big league, predicted, “He is expected to advance to the big league, but will serve as a highly utilized bench resource in the playoff team.”