Kim Ha-seong Rated Among 'Top 100 Prospects' in MLB

Kim Ha-seong, who is about to make his Major League Baseball debut with the San Diego Padres, has been named among the "Top 100 Prospects."

He ranked 64th on the list compiled by an American baseball statistics site called FanGraph on Wednesday.

It said, "One of the best players in Korea since he was a teenager, Kim brings a plus run tool [referring to his speed], an outstanding arm and double-digit home run power to wherever he ends up playing on the dirt," and added he is "an explosive, compact-bodied athlete."

"It's impossible to say whether Kim will be able to make the leap from Korean to MLB pitching seamlessly, but his KBO numbers are more favorable than other recent successful players, he's younger, and his defensive ability gives him more margin for error in this regard."

Kim, who made his professional debut here in 2014, signed a four-year deal worth US$28 million with the Padres in January.

He left for the U.S. last week and will join a spring training camp in Arizona on Feb. 23.