Hart 'legitimately in the mix' to start after dazzling season abroad

PEORIA, Ariz. -- When Kyle Hart ventured overseas to join the NC Dinos of the Korean Baseball Organization ahead of last season, he didn’t think he’d end up in another big league clubhouse. At least not anytime soon.

“I didn’t really feel like that was what I was setting out to do,” Hart said. “You pitch well, and people are going to find you. People are going to notice.”

And yet here he is, a new face in the Padres’ clubhouse and a perceived frontrunner in the battle for a spot at the back end of the rotation for a playoff contender.

What a difference a year makes.

A lot has changed in that timespan, but the outcome speaks for itself: Hart pitched well, and the right people noticed.

“I just want to go see him pitch,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said. “It’s unfair for me to have too high of expectations with guys that I’ve never really seen before, but clearly, he’s legitimately in the mix to be the fifth starter.”

It would’ve been more surprising to not end up with a Major League organization after the season Hart had in 2024. Winner of the Choi Dong-won Award -- the KBO’s equivalent of the Cy Young -- Hart finished 13-3 with a 2.69 ERA across 26 starts, registering 182 strikeouts over 157 innings.

Hart didn’t reinvent himself, but he lowered his arm slot, added a sweeper to his arsenal and started throwing his four-seam fastball up in the zone to induce more swing-and-miss. It culminated in an impressive 28.8% strikeout rate and a 6% walk rate last season.

It didn’t take long for teams to start calling after a showing like that, and the Padres reeled Hart in on a one-year contract at the outset of the spring just one day after they signed Nick Pivetta to a four-year pact.

The opportunity to work with Padres pitching coach Ruben Niebla and the club’s plan to help him improve played a large part in Hart’s decision, but he’s confident he can hold his own against big league hitters already.

“I know if I make good pitches over and over and over, good things are going to happen,” Hart said. “If I have my good stuff, I can compete at this level.”

This wouldn’t be Hart’s first taste of the Majors. He debuted with the Red Sox in 2020 after being selected in the 19th round of the 2016 MLB Draft, but he made just four appearances (three starts) and didn’t get the call again. After a successful first four seasons in the organization, Hart’s performance dipped steadily over the two years following his debut.

Hart spent time between the Phillies and Mariners organizations in 2023 before heading to Korea. During his time in Seattle's system, Hart made quite the impression on current teammate and fellow rotation candidate Stephen Kolek -- who also pitched for Triple-A Tacoma.

“To have him here and watch him compete, I’m looking forward to what he does,” Kolek said.

How Hart goes about his sales pitch for that fifth spot in the rotation will determine how much of a role he plays in that group this season. But there’s no question that his new teammates are intrigued.

The 32-year-old struck out a pair in his scoreless, two-inning Cactus League debut against the Brewers on Friday. Even though rain cut his afternoon short -- and canceled the game before it became official -- Hart said he felt “pretty comfortable” in his first appearance of the spring.

“I know he had a great season over there in Korea, so I’m kind of curious just to see what the difference is,” Kolek said. “He’s an elite competitor, and competitors like to win. So whatever he did to win, he’s going to bring it over here.”

The list of pitchers who have returned stateside after successful tenures in Korea and reestablished themselves as prominent big leaguers is abundant.

Diamondbacks pitcher Merrill Kelly, who logged 729 2/3 innings across four seasons with the SK Wyverns from 2015-18, has quietly been one of the most consistent starters in the National League since his debut in 2019. Cardinals right-hander Erick Fedde won the Choi Dong-won Award in 2023 pitching for the Dinos and finished with a 3.4 fWAR in his return to The Show last season.

Are similar results in store for Hart? That remains to be seen, but the journey to this point alone has been a validating experience.

“It just shows you that we’re all capable of great things,” Hart said. “Keep your head down, keep working, maybe get a little bit of luck here and there. All of us are capable of achieving our goals. If I can do something like this then anybody, anywhere can do what they set out to do.”