Dodgers could target former Hyeseong Kim teammate as Max Muncy backup

You'll hear the Dodgers' name in conjunction with basically every free agent coming out of Asia, even if they're not from Japan (the overseas epicenter of Dodgers fandom). They were already popular in Korea prior to his signing, but they made inroads with free agents coming from the KBO when they signed Hyeseong Kim this season.

Shohei Ohtani had a hand in recruiting Kim and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Yamamoto may or may not be trying to recruit Munetaka Murakami. Kim could get to work as another unofficial Dodgers scout by courting new MLB free agent and former KBO teammate Sung-Mun Song.

The Kiwoom Heroes (who signed Song to a six-year, $8.14 million USD contract extension just back in August but certainly wouldn't say no to that posting fee) posted Song on Saturday, and he'll have until 2 PM PST on Dec. 21 to sign with a team.

KBO players' free agencies have been much less conspicuous than NPB players' are becoming. Basically no one knew that the Dodgers were even interested in Kim before he signed on Jan. 3, and it still took a while for the news of his signing to be verified.

Song's free agency could end up being just as under-the-radar, but if the Dodgers are interested, they have an obvious in with Kim.

Dodgers could pursue former Hyeseong Kim teammate Sung-Mun Song after posting to MLB

Song debuted in 2015 at just 18, but didn't become an everyday player until 2019 and took another few years to really find his stride. In 2024, he hit .340 with a .927 OPS, 19 homers, and 104 RBI, then followed it up in 2025 with a .315 average, .917 OPS, 26 homers, and 91 RBI.

He's spent time at all of first, second, and third base, but the bulk of his experience is at the hot corner, where he's logged 4,439 2/3 innings for a .960 fielding percentage.

Of course, the Dodgers picked up their club option on Max Muncy to keep him at third base in 2026, but they could entertain bench upgrades from Kiké Hernández and Miguel Rojas, and Song would fill in Rojas' responsibility as the resident substitute infielder perfectly while the Dodgers wait to see how he plays and figure out if they could use him in a more full-time capacity in 2027.

Song is 29 and will turn 30 during the 2026 season, so Kim's three-year, $12.5 million deal could be realistic here. In some ways, it could be a better move than signing the likes of Murakami or Kazuma Okamoto, both of whom are far more likely to sign longer-term deals in their own free agencies.