Hyun-soo Kim facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hyun-soo Kim
Kim with the Orioles 2016
LG Twins – No. 22
Left fielder
Born: (1988-01-12) January 12, 1988 (age 37) Seoul, South Korea
Bats: Left Throws: Right
Professional debut
KBO: September 2, 2006, for the Doosan Bears
MLB: April 10, 2016, for the Baltimore Orioles
KBO statistics (through 2024 season)
Batting average	.313
Home runs	249
Runs batted in	1,432
MLB statistics (through 2017 season)
Batting average	.273
Home runs	7
Runs batted in	36
Teams
Doosan Bears (2006–2015) Baltimore Orioles (2016–2017) Philadelphia Phillies (2017) LG Twins (2018–present)
Career highlights and awards
KBO 5× KBO Golden Glove Award (2008–2010, 2015, 2020) 2× KBO batting champion (2008, 2018) 2× Korean Series champion (2015, 2023) International Tokyo 2020 All-Olympic Baseball Team (2021) All-World Baseball Classic Team (2009) WBSC Premier12 MVP (2015) WBSC Premier12 All-World Team (2015)
Medals Men's baseball Representing KOR Olympic Games Gold 2008 Beijing Team World Baseball Classic Silver 2009 Los Angeles Team WBSC Premier12 Gold 2015 Tokyo Team

Hyun-soo Kim (born January 12, 1988) is a professional baseball player from South Korea. He plays as an outfielder for the LG Twins in the KBO League. Before joining the LG Twins, he played for the Doosan Bears in Korea. He also played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles and Philadelphia Phillies.

Early Baseball Days

Kim went to Shinil High School in Seoul, South Korea. In September 2005, he played for the South Korea junior team. They finished second at the Asian Junior Baseball Championship. Kim was a backup outfielder for the team.

In November 2005, Kim won the Lee Yeong-min Award. This award is given to the best high school hitter in South Korea each year.

Professional Baseball Career

Playing for the Doosan Bears

After high school, Kim wanted to join the KBO League. He was not chosen in the 2006 draft. However, the Doosan Bears signed him as a free agent. He spent his first year playing for the Bears' reserve team.

In 2007, Kim became a starting player. He hit for a .273 average with 5 home runs. He also had 32 runs batted in. He was almost named Rookie of the Year.

The 2008 KBO season was a big year for Kim. He won the batting title with a .357 average. He also had the most hits in the league with 168. He finished second in the MVP voting. Kim also won the Golden Glove Award as an outfielder.

In 2009, Kim continued to play very well. He batted .357 again and hit 23 home runs. He led the league in hits for the second year in a row. He was also among the top players in RBIs, triples, and on-base percentage. On December 11, 2009, he won his second KBO Golden Glove Award.

Playing in Major League Baseball

Joining the Baltimore Orioles

On December 23, 2015, Kim signed a two-year contract with the Baltimore Orioles. This was a big step to play in Major League Baseball (MLB).

Kim had a tough start during spring training. But he decided to stay with the team. On April 10, 2016, he played his first MLB game against the Tampa Bay Rays. He got two hits in that game. Kim played well in his first month, hitting .600 in six games.

On May 29, he hit his first MLB home run. It was a game-winning home run against the Cleveland Indians. On June 30, Kim hit a home run that helped the Orioles set a new MLB record for most home runs in June.

Later in the season, Kim hit more important home runs. On September 25, he hit a two-run home run that won the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Three days later, he hit another game-winning home run against the Toronto Blue Jays. Kim finished his 2016 season with a strong .302 batting average.

Time with the Philadelphia Phillies

On July 28, 2017, the Orioles traded Kim to the Philadelphia Phillies. He played for the Phillies for the rest of the 2017 season.

Returning to the KBO League

Playing for the LG Twins

On December 19, 2017, Kim signed a four-year contract to play for the LG Twins in the KBO League. He quickly became a key player for the team.

On December 17, 2021, Kim signed a new six-year contract with the LG Twins. He continues to be a star player for them. In 2023, he helped the LG Twins win the Korean Series championship.

International Baseball

Kim in the outfield during the 2009 World Baseball Classic for the South Korea national baseball team.

Kim has played for the South Korea national baseball team many times. In August 2008, he helped South Korea win the gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. He hit a key single against Japan that helped his team win.

In March 2009, Kim played in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. South Korea finished second in this big tournament. Kim played very well, hitting .393. He was named to the All-Star team as a designated hitter. He also played for Korea in the 2013 World Baseball Classic.

Kim did not play in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. He wanted to focus on getting ready for the MLB season with the Baltimore Orioles. In 2018, he helped South Korea win a gold medal at the Asian Games.

Awards and Achievements

Kim has won many awards throughout his career. He has won the KBO Golden Glove Award five times (2008, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2020). He was also the KBO batting champion twice (2008, 2018). In 2015, he was named the MVP of the 2015 WBSC Premier12 tournament. He also helped his teams win the Korean Series in 2015 and 2023.