Already an interesting addition based mostly on cool title issue alone, Korean infielder Sung-moon Music put himself on the MLB radar with a late-20s breakout for the KBO’s Kiwoom Heroes. The 29-year-old was posted by Kiwoom final month on the heels of back-to-back .900+ OPS seasons that noticed him crank 45 whole residence runs, and FanSided’s Robert Murray was the primary to report that Music’s exhausting work has achieved the purest type of recognition our society can provide: cash.
The Padres have reportedly reached an settlement with Music on a three-year deal, which The Athletic’s Dennis Lin says is for round $15 million whole. Since San Diego is type of pot-committed to this Manny Machado character as its on a regular basis third baseman, Lin experiences that Music is predicted to bounce across the infield, filling in solely often at his main place and showing at second and first base extra usually.
Probably as a result of he didn’t hit sufficient to have a steady defensive residence till not too long ago, Music has crammed this utility position earlier than and presents expertise in any respect three non-shortstop infield positions. His arm is generally wasted on the correct aspect of the diamond, however he has the ability set to anticipate common or higher work in any respect three spots. Whereas he often defaults to sitting again on choppers and leaning on his plus throwing arm at third base, Music is swish and fluid on the run, correct at totally different arm angles or when throwing off one leg, and maintains a dependable play clock; although that one could require a significant league foot-speed recalibration. Maybe the most important concern is that, listed at 6-foot even, Music is a little bit quick for a primary baseman.
Out of all of the potential KBO- or NPB-to-MLB targets this offseason, Music impressed a few of essentially the most disagreement between Eric Longenhagen and I because of his hit device. The Padres have subtle a few of that battle by merely not signing Music to be an on a regular basis nook bat, a task neither of us had been fairly positive he’d make sufficient contact to satisfy regardless of his .327/.397/.524 line and 14.3% strikeout charge over the previous two years.
Greater than something, this model of Music is just very new. Earlier than 2022, he didn’t have a full season of KBO at-bats to his title. Earlier than 2024, he hadn’t proven something past threadbare energy. However his current breakout is the product of loads of intent. Music is now noticeably stronger and loading into his again hip with reckless abandon, which has introduced clearly seen advantages, however presents still-looming potential drawbacks for protecting pitches over the outer half of the plate.
Visually, Music pulls off to the primary base aspect fairly aggressively on the end of his swing, as his mid-career energy surge finds him cranking out a giant leg kick, counter-rotating his torso after which simply letting it rip as exhausting as his physique permits. He’s seeing the plus pull energy manifest that he’s making an attempt to conjure with such a swing trait, and but his contact charge has solely dipped into the low 80s because the strategy change. In some remoted moments, he’s proven the power to flick elevated outer-half offspeed errors over the fence to the alternative subject, as properly.
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Music’s manufacturing has been platoon impartial up so far and held up towards the restricted publicity to premium velocity that the KBO has provided him. However his chase charge spiked to round 30% final 12 months, per Synergy, even in an surroundings the place the common heater Music is seeing clocks in round 91 mph, and his aggressive lefty scoop of a swing is accordingly susceptible to velocity up and away, creating substantial hit device threat.
Petco Park isn’t the simplest venue for counting on lefty-pull pop, particularly if Music’s main league batting common is extra prone to dip to .230 than keep the pursuit of .330 that his KBO manufacturing was floating round. However total, this appears to be like like a pleasant touchdown for somebody with the instruments to be a glove-first second-division smooth common.
It simply raises extra questions concerning the Padres’ subsequent transfer, since their payroll is predicted to stay roughly static from final season, they only introduced again starter Michael King for 3 years and $75 million, and Lin has already reported this winter that they’re prepared to hear on commerce presents for Jake Cronenworth. There are over 5 years and $60 million remaining on the contract extension Cronenworth signed in 2023, and in comparison with his fellow lefty-hitting multi-positional infielder, Music would possibly appear to be the extra reasonably priced different.