One of the names heating up the 2023-2024 Major League transfer market is Juan Soto (25).
Soto, who spent his early 20s with results comparable to those of major league legends
is evaluated to have a very high possibility of being traded this winter.
Soto becomes a free agent (FA) at the end of the 2024 season.
He has already booked an astronomical contract. While playing for Washington 먹튀검증사이트
Soto flatly rejected the team’s 15-year, $440 million offer.
This is the background to Washington trading Soto. San Diego is now in a similar situation.
Soto’s agent, Scott Boras, is aiming for more than $500 million. If you can’t force Soto to sit down, it would be better to trade him now.
Usually, the trade value is proportional to the remaining service time.
The value of a player who is one year away from free agency is not the same as when he is two or three years away.
But the player is Soto. After debuting in the major leagues in 2018
he is a genius hitter who recorded a batting average of 0.284, on-base percentage of 0.421, 160 home runs, 483 RBI, and OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.946 in 779 games over six seasons.
He has more walks (640) than strikeouts (577) in his career, and had five of his six seasons with 20 or more home runs.
It is the dream of every team that has both on-base and extra-base hits.
Therefore, the prevailing view is that in order to recruit Soto
who has one year remaining, a significant compensation must be offered.
According to local media reports, San Diego is known to have recently requested a huge package while considering a trade card with the New York Yankees.
Instant power pitchers, fielders, and prospects were all included.
This is interpreted as the reason why the Yankees and San Diego still cannot find common ground despite long-standing rumors.
However, claims are being made that San Diego has a trade card that is more valuable than Soto, attracting attention.
Bob Nightingale, a columnist for USA Today and one of the major league sources,
et the tone for current major league news and officials ahead of the opening of the Winter Meetings on the 4th (Korean time).
In this column, Nightingale conveyed the internal atmosphere, saying, ‘(Major League) executives say that San Diego’s best trade chip is actually shortstop Kim Ha-seong.’
It is true that Ha-Sung Kim played very well last year and this year, but few people say that he is worth more as a player than Soto.
Ha-Seong Kim is an outstanding player, but Soto is a tremendous superstar.
Nevertheless, there is a reason why Kim Ha-sung’s trade value is highly evaluated in the major leagues.
He has good skills, there is still one year left until free agency, and above all, the burden of next year’s salary is not large.
Ha-seong Kim is a wild card in the infield. He can be seen playing both shortstop
which is his main job, as well as second baseman and third baseman.
The title of this year’s National League Utility Gold Glove winner symbolizes Kim Ha-seong’s versatility and outstanding defensive ability.
Each club absolutely needs a player like this.
In particular, a team that is in dire need of a shortstop has no card like Ha-seong Kim.
Additionally, there is one year left until free agency, so it does not have a significant impact on the team’s long-term plans.
If he does well, he can sign an extension, but even if he does poorly
he leaves the team after a year. Also, his opposition is not as strong as Soto’s.
Of course, it is highly likely that San Diego will demand a lot of compensation for Kim Ha-seong, but it is unlikely to be as crazy as Soto.
Above all, next year’s salary will be cheap.
Ha-seong Kim signed a four-year contract worth a total of $28 million ahead of the 2021 season.
He earns an average of $7 million per year, and his annual salary next year is $8 million.
Although it is not a small amount of money, $8 million is a bargain in today’s market price for a shortstop who can be expected to have a win-against-replacement contribution (WAR) of 4.0 or higher.
Conversely, Soto, who is entering the final year of salary adjustment, is expected to have to pay an annual salary of $32 to $35 million next year.
This does not mean that Ha-Seong Kim is a better player than Soto
but depending on one’s perspective, Ha-Seong Kim may be seen as a more attractive trade card.