On this Imagn Photographs photograph, San Diego Padres supervisor Craig Stammen speaks with the media in the course of the 2025 MLB Winter Conferences at Signia by Hilton Resort, Dec. 8. Reuters-Yonhap
San Diego Padres supervisor Craig Stammen stated Wednesday enjoying Music Sung-mun, their latest Korean participant and a profession infielder, within the outfield is “positively a risk” as they search to maximise his offensive upside.
Music has by no means performed within the outfield in his Korea Baseball Group (KBO) profession, which started in 2015 with the Nexen (presently Kiwoom) Heroes. He has primarily been a 3rd baseman however has additionally performed at second base and first base, the type of defensive versatility that the Padres will look to financial institution on.
However the Padres are additionally so enamored with Music’s offense that Stammen stated he’ll discover methods to maintain his bat within the lineup, even when it means placing Music in an unfamiliar defensive place.
“I feel, clearly, he’ll really feel extra comfy within the infield,” Stammen stated in a Zoom press convention with the U.S. and Korean media on Wednesday, a day after the Padres introduced their four-year contract with Music. “We talked about this within the unique Zoom name that we had once we have been attending to know him and attending to see what he looks like he is good at, but it surely’s positively a risk. It is one thing that we’ll work on in spring coaching.
“If it does not work out, it is no large deal, but it surely’s price a attempt,” the supervisor continued. “It creates extra versatility. It helps our roster obtain what it needs to realize, and wherever we are able to get his bat within the lineup, that is what we will attempt to do. And we wish to discover a spot for him the place he will be productive for the Padres, and there is loads of totally different locations that I feel he can match. He is an excellent athlete.”
Music, a fringe participant at greatest by means of 2023, developed into some of the productive hitters within the KBO over the previous two seasons. In 2024, he batted .340/.409/.518 with 19 homers, 104 RBIs and 21 steals. He adopted that up with a .315/.387/.530 line in 2025, with 26 dwelling runs, 90 RBIs and 25 steals.
Additionally in 2025, Music earned his first Golden Glove at third base as the most effective general participant on the place and his first KBO Fielding Award for his protection on the scorching nook.
The Padres are set at third base with All-Star and Gold Glove winner Manny Machado, and Stammen sees Music as a jack-of-all-trades kind.
“Any participant that may present versatility is a worthwhile participant within the large leagues,” the supervisor stated. “Numerous the groups that find yourself getting within the World Collection and profitable the World Collection, they’ve components which can be movable. You noticed it with the (Los Angeles) Dodgers final 12 months with how they use Kike Hernandez and Miguel Rojas, Tommy Edman, shifting them all around the area. We see him as having the ability to try this, to play third base, second base, perhaps some first base, perhaps some outfield.
“But in addition when our large boys want somewhat little bit of a blow, he can fill in at third base and play main league-caliber third base actually simply,” Stammen continued. “And provides Manny that DH day, and now we have two productive hitters within the lineup.”
