Trent Grisham has spent the last three years with the Padres, while Ha-Seong Kim has spent his previous two seasons with the Padres. According to Dennis Lin of the Athletic, to the point where the organization has thought about selling either infielder Ha-Seong Kim or outfielder Trent Grisham. Lin clarifies that the company is unwilling to break ways with Cronenworth and speculates that a deal including Grisham could be more possible than one that relocates Kim.
Trent Grisham was acquired from the Brewers as part of the 2019–20 offseason trade that brought Luis Uras and Eric Lauer to Milwaukee, and he assumed the role of the Friars’ primary center fielder right away. Grisham had a fantastic debut season, appearing in 59 of the 60 games during the 2020 season, hitting.251/.353/.456 with ten home runs and ten stolen bases combined. He appeared to be a rising star, but his offense has declined over the last few seasons.
However, Trent Grisham is only 26 years old at this point. He is under contract through 2026 on an agreement that benefits the organization and is a two-time Gold Glover. In exchange for a player capable of taking the Padres to the World Series as early as 2023, San Diego can convince a franchisee of Grisham’s potential.
Ha-Seong Kim has performed poorly as an MLB hitter, much like Trent Grisham. He has a.235 batting average across 267 games with 19 home runs, 93 RBI, and 18 stolen bases. The former KBO standout had a difficult first MLB season but improved in year two, batting.251/.325/.383 in 582 plate appearances. However, Kim provides any team with positional flexibility. He has played second base, third base, and shortstop throughout his MLB career.
Given that Ha-Seong Kim had a better offensive season, he should have even greater trade value. Kim offers significant value on the defensive side, similar to Trent Grisham. The 27-year-old appeared to be a middle infielder of Gold Glove-caliber before Tatis was injured and suspended, forcing him into primary shortstop duty.
Ha-Seong Kim received a four-year, $25MM guarantee when he moved from South Korea in the 2020–21 offseason. He will receive a paltry $17MM over the course of the following two seasons, including a buyout on a mutual option for 2025, and is expected to return to the open market after the 24th season for a player in the prime of his career, coming off a successful season like Kim’s, that represents a tremendous value.
San Diego is fine with either Trent Grisham or Ha-Seong Kim. Both players are in demand and have current-day jobs lined up. Grisham and Kim have both demonstrated potential throughout their brief MLB careers. But right now, the Padres are focused on winning. San Diego seems willing to make the trade if they could swap either player for someone who would make a significant difference immediately.
With the signings of Matt Carpenter on a two-year guarantee and Xander Bogaerts on an 11-year megadeal, the Padres have had another remarkable offseason. Those players add depth to a team with much quality, with Bogaerts enhancing a current strength. The Padres are open to trading two players with tremendous potential now that Bogaerts is in San Diego. Bogaerts gave the Padres an offensive boost, but they allegedly still use hidden starting pitching.