Roki Sasaki is not the only international free agent the Padres should be after

Rumors surrounding the 2025 international free agent class have mostly been centered around Japanese superstar pitcher Roki Sasaki. As the Padres, Dodgers, and a handful of other teams fight for the 23-year-old, another name should be on the Padres radar. Kim Hye-seong, who has been posted as a free agent and has until 4 p.m. EST today to make a decision, has gained interest from a number of teams around the league.

With the prospect of losing fellow countryman Kim Ha-seong to free agency, San Diego must be looking for a replacement in the middle infield. Hye-seong could be just the player the Padres need, a defensive master with offensive prowess, he is the only player in KBO history to win the Gold Glove Award at both shortstop and second base. His OPS has surpassed .800 in the past two seasons, with a batting average above .300 in each of the last four.

Padres have work to do if they want to make a signing

Hye-seong reportedly returned to Korea on December 23rd to fulfill his mandatory military service, but not before he met with and received interest from a number of teams. The Padres, Dodgers, Angels, Mariners, and most recently the Chicago Cubs have all made offers to the infielder, with reports stating the Cubs offer was somewhere around $10 million. Chicago barely made their offer in time, throwing their hat in the mix just hours before the deadline, adding another team San Diego could need to outbid if they want the 25-year-old.

Another rumor has stated the Seattle Mariners are the frontrunners to sign Hye-seong, although questions have been asked about the legitimacy of the KBO Trade Rumor site. Of course, the Padres will have to compete with the Dodgers as well, although there has been less speculation that the Dodgers are pursuing Hye-seong as heavily as other teams.

An addition like Hye-seong would surely bolster a Padres roster that has some concerns over the middle infield. With the possibility of losing Ha-seong to free agency and the teams concerns about Xander Bogaerts defensive abilities at short, a defensive wizard like Hye-seong could fit perfectly.