Kim Hye-seong found facing Yoshinobu Yamamoto in spring training "hard to process," and hopes to compete against the legendary American left-hander in the Classic.

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Korean infielder Kim Hye-seong continues to adjust his performance in spring training, facing both Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki during live batting sessions. The exceptional skill of these two Japanese top pitchers led Kim to state the level was “very high,” and he admitted that he hardly had time to decide how to hit during his at-bats.

On the opening day of spring training, Kim Hye-seong went up against Yoshinobu Yamamoto, managing two powerful hits—one of which broke his bat—while in the second matchup, he was struck out by a forkball. Kim expressed that he had long anticipated facing Yamamoto in a real-game scenario. “Everyone knows he’s an outstanding pitcher, but standing at the plate really lets you feel his power. He throws many different breaking balls, making it hard to focus on any single pitch. He’s truly a top-tier pitcher.”

As for Roki Sasaki, Kim faced him twice, recording one hit and a ground ball to shortstop. However, against Sasaki’s increasingly refined slider, Kim struck out swinging twice and hit one foul ball. When asked about the quality of the slider, he simply responded in English with “Good,” showing clear approval of this weapon pitch.

Besides adjusting during spring training, Kim Hye-seong is also preparing for the international stage. The World Baseball Classic starts in March, and Kim has been selected for the South Korean team. Speaking about wearing the national jersey again, Kim stated firmly: “Being chosen for the national team is an honor. The international stage is something I want to participate in every time, and this time I will give my all with a strong sense of responsibility.”

South Korea is in Group C along with Japan and Chinese Taipei. When asked which pitcher he most wants to face in the Classic, Kim didn’t focus solely on the Japanese aces but mentioned a special name: “If I had to pick just one, I’d want to face Kershaw, because it might be my last chance.”

Kershaw announced his retirement after last season and is one of the most iconic left-handed pitchers in recent MLB history. Kim frankly said that facing such a legendary pitcher on the international stage would be a rare and valuable experience.

However, achieving this dream won’t be easy. South Korea has been eliminated in the first round in the last three Classics. To face more top pitchers in this tournament, and possibly reach the stage to face Kershaw, they must first advance through the group stage and knockout rounds.