Lowkey Dodgers minor league signing could capitalize on Hyeseong Kim's absence

The conversation around the Dodgers' second base battle has primarily involved Hyeseong Kim and Alex Freeland. Kim is the one with the guaranteed major league contract; Freeland is the top prospect. With Tommy Edman out of commission for at least the first few weeks of the season, they're just the most obvious options to take over at the apex in the interim.

However, another (and far less obvious) candidate whose name has been coming up in Glendale is ... Santiago Espinal?

The Dodgers quietly signed Espinal right at the beginning of spring training. He's a versatile infielder and had some respectable seasons as Teoscar Hernández's Blue Jays teammate from 2020-2022, one of which made him an All-Star, but it was purely a depth signing, right?

Dave Roberts isn't closing the door on Espinal making the Opening Day roster. He said, "Things bode well for him. He's really a helpful, winning player in my opinion, (who) raises the floor."

With Hyeseong Kim taking part in the World Baseball Classic out of the Dodgers' immediate field of vision, there's a chance that Espinal can really put himself in this fight.

Santiago Espinal is being viewed as a real candidate for the Dodgers' second base opening

Kim was on a tear before leaving the Dodgers to join Team Korea in Tokyo for WBC pool play. He was 6-for-13 with a homer, five RBI, and two stolen bases in four games, good for a .462 average and 1.154 OPS. But Espinal is meeting him beat-for-beat — 6-for-11 in five games with two doubles so far.

He also received rave reviews from Hernández, who offered some insight into how the Dodgers might use Espinal if he cracks the Opening Day roster. "I see him as a Kiké Hernández type of player, he said. "He can play and contribute in a lot of ways."

Espinal has spent the last two seasons with the Reds, hitting pretty abysmally: .245 average, .616 OPS, though his defense was sound in 2025, and he continues to put up outstanding strikeout and whiff rates, which Kim struggled with last season.

There's a possibility that Espinal ends up on the bench behind one of Kim or Freeland, but depending on how long Korea lasts in the WBC (and how much of a contributor Kim ends up being there), he could find himself the new frontrunner by the time Opening Day rolls around.