SAN DIEGO -- The busy Padres have landed one of the most coveted international free agents on the market, finalizing a four-year deal with infielder Sung-Mun Song on Monday.
News of the deal with Song first broke Friday, mere hours after San Diego agreed to a deal to re-sign starter Michael King.
Per a source, the deal is worth $15 million guaranteed, with an opt-out after the first three seasons. It also features a $7 million mutual option for the 2030 season.
“First of all, I’m very excited to be a part of the Padres family,” Song said Tuesday through interpreter Sam Jeong in a video conference call to announce the signing. “I just thank the Padres for giving me this opportunity.”
Song is the latest star position player to come to the Major Leagues from Korea, following others like the Dodgers' Hyeseong Kim, the Giants' Jung Hoo Lee and the Braves' Ha-Seong Kim who made the jump in recent seasons.
Of course, Ha-Seong Kim spent four seasons with the Padres from 2021-24, and Song said he spoke extensively with Kim about his time in San Diego before making his decision.
“He mentioned how great all the teammates are, how friendly all the staff members are and just overall how beautiful the city is,” Song said. “And also, just in terms of baseball, he gave me a lot of encouragement that I had the ability to challenge myself out here. That really motivated me.”
The 29-year-old left-handed-hitting Song was an All-Star third baseman for the KBO’s Kiwoom Heroes -- also Kim’s former team. After breakout seasons in 2024 and ’25, Song was posted by the Heroes on Nov. 22, opening a 30-day window to negotiate a contract with MLB teams.
“He’s been really a super productive player, and we feel like we’ll have some versatility,” said general manager A.J. Preller. “He’s somebody that’s been on our radar here for at least the last couple years.”
Song’s precise fit in San Diego is uncertain -- and it might not become entirely clear until after Preller is done with his offseason maneuvering. His likeliest role will be as a utility player coming off the bench -- leaving the Padres still in search of a starting first baseman.
Song has played first base minimally, having spent much more time at second and third. But there’s some flexibility in the San Diego infield, with Jake Cronenworth capable of sliding from second base to first. Meanwhile, with Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts -- both 33 -- on the left side, Song’s presence gives the Padres the option of giving one a DH day or an off-day. Song could theoretically play third when Machado rests. Or the versatile Cronenworth could play short for Bogaerts, with Song at second.
Both Preller and manager Craig Stammen mentioned the possibility that Song could work his way into an outfield role as well. Essentially, the Padres seem to view Song as a crucial roster piece who could potentially do just about everything. Technically speaking, he’ll be viewed as a utility player. But he could get fairly regular reps.
“Any player that can provide versatility is a valuable player in the big leagues,” said Stammen. “A lot of the teams that end up getting to the World Series, winning the World Series, they have parts that are moveable. You saw it with the Dodgers last year with how they used Kiké Hernández, Miguel Rojas and Tommy Edman, moving them all over the field. We see him as being able to do that -- to play third base, second base, maybe some first base, maybe some outfield.”
Then again, Cronenworth himself has been mentioned in trade rumors, so it’s possible Song ends up as a like-for-like replacement -- a versatile left-handed-hitting infielder and primary second baseman. That would leave the Padres still searching at first base. But first basemen are generally easier to find.
In 2025, Song had a career-high 26 home runs and 25 stolen bases in 144 games while batting .315 with a .387 on-base percentage, .530 slugging percentage and .917 OPS. He was voted the KBO Player of the Year by his peers in the Korea Professional Baseball Players Association.
The season before, Song had 19 home runs and 21 stolen bases in 142 games while batting .340 with a .409 on-base percentage, .518 slugging percentage and career-high .927 OPS.
Song made his KBO debut in 2015 at age 18, but it took him a while to come into his own as a hitter. When he did, he quickly elevated himself into one of the sport’s most intriguing international prospects.
“His progression in the KBO the last two seasons has been a very unique journey,” Preller said. “We see him as a two-way player, somebody that can impact the game on both sides of the ball, offensively and defensively.
“Over the past few weeks, personally I’ve gotten to see his demeanor, which is somebody that’s very positive and somebody that is very charismatic -- and somebody that I think our fans in San Diego are going to love rooting for.”