Kevin Shim, ‘son of KBO legend Geppo’, selected by Arizona in the 5th round of the MLB Draft
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- on Jul 11, 2023
Kevin Shim (21, Korean name Shim Jong-hyun), the second son of KBO legendary slugger Shim “Hercules” Jung-soo, will fulfill his father’s unfulfilled dream.
Kevin Shim was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the 148th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2023 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft on June 11 (KST) at Lambeau Field in Seattle, Washington, USA.
Kevin Shim, a right-handed bat like his father, Jung-soo Shim, has been touted as a big bat prospect after hitting double-digit home runs in the NCAA last year and this year for the University of San Diego. Last year, as a sophomore, he hit .292 with 12 home runs, 57 RBIs, and a .913 OPS in 57 games, and this season, as a junior, he’s been just as good, hitting .298 with 13 home runs, 40 RBIs, and a 1.025 OPS in 38 games.먹튀검증
Kevin Shim caught the eye of scouts at the MLB Draft Combine on June 21, where prospects showcased their skills in front of scouts, averaging a bat speed of 163 km/h and ranking first overall among the day’s participants.
According to MLB.com’s scouting report, Kevin Sim “hits for power but doesn’t strike out much, has a good zone contact rate, and has a high walk rate.” In addition to his power potential, the scouting report also praised his positional flexibility, as he can play corner infield positions (first, third) and the outfield (left, right).
The scouting report also mentioned Kevin Shim’s father, Shim Jung-soo. MLB.com noted that “Shim was one of the biggest stars in Korean baseball during his long career in the KBO, hitting more than 300 home runs and earning the nickname ‘Hercules’.”
Shim Jeong-soo, the KBO slugging legend ‘Hercules’ / Photo by OSEN
Shim made his debut with the OB Bears in 1994 and went on to play for the Hyundai Unicorns and Samsung Lions, compiling a career batting average of .287 with 328 home runs, 1029 RBIs, and an OPS of 0.921 in 15 seasons in the KBO. He hit a career-high 53 home runs in 2003, and in the modern era, he rivaled Lee Seung-yeop for the home run title.
Shim once dreamed of making it to the major leagues. Before the 2003 season, he and Lee joined the Florida Marlins (now the Miami Marlins) in spring training as invitees, training with the big leaguers and hitting home runs in exhibition games. But his major league dreams never materialized.
Meanwhile, with Kevin Shim’s draft selection, the University of San Diego has had a draft pick for 34 consecutive seasons. Kevin Sim became the 148th player in school history to be drafted or signed by an MLB team. The 148th pick in the fifth round was worth $421,000.