The San Francisco Giants have secured a significant signing with center fielder Jung Hoo Lee agreeing to a six-year, $113 million contract, according to sources. This contract marks a historic milestone as the largest deal for an Asian-born hitter entering Major League Baseball, and it represents a significant move for the Giants, who have faced challenges in recent years with free-agent acquisitions.
Lee, a renowned star in the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO), is considered baseball royalty with his father, Jong Beom Lee, hailed as the best all-around player in the KBO during the 1990s. He is affectionately known as the “Grandson of the Wind,” a moniker that pays homage to his father’s nickname, the “Son of the Wind.” Lee’s contract includes an opt-out option after the fourth season, adding a layer of flexibility to the deal.
While Lee had previously been linked to the San Diego Padres due to his friendship with Ha-Seong Kim, who plays infield for the Padres, the Giants emerged as serious contenders after Shohei Ohtani’s signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers this week. The Giants’ pursuit of major free agents in the past two years, including Aaron Judge and Carlos Correa, had been met with rejection or complications, making Lee’s signing all the more significant.
Lee may not be in the same league as Ohtani, Judge, or Correa, but his track record in the KBO is impressive. The left-handed-hitting outfielder has consistently posted a batting average of over .300 each season in the KBO, boasting a career batting average of .340, with a high of .360 in 2021. Despite his 2023 season being cut short due to a fractured left ankle after 86 games, Lee managed to maintain solid numbers, slashing .318/.406/.455 with six home runs and 45 RBIs.
He made his debut in 2017 at the age of 18, transitioning seamlessly from high school to the professional league. Lee’s standout season came in 2022, winning the KBO MVP award while hitting .349/.421/.575, recording a career-best 23 home runs in 142 games, and demonstrating excellent plate discipline with more walks (66) than strikeouts (32).
Lee’s remarkable ability to make contact bodes well for his transition to the majors. Employing an open stance, he struck out a mere 5.4% of the time over the past two seasons, a remarkable feat compared to the KBO average of 18.2% and the MLB average of 22.7% in 2023.
While some scouts believe Lee has the speed and potential to excel as a center fielder, injury recovery may be a key factor. Others project him as a right fielder, placing greater emphasis on his batting prowess. Despite a dip in power during the 2023 season, which coincided with a high ground ball rate, the Giants see Lee as a potential All-Star-caliber player who, at 25 years old, is entering his prime. In an ideal scenario, he becomes a top-of-the-order hitter with a batting average close to .300 and an above-average on-base percentage. Lee aims to avoid the learning curve that Ha-Seong Kim, the last Korean star to enter MLB, experienced. Kim struggled in his first MLB season in 2021 but has shown improvement in subsequent years, raising his OPS from .622 to .708 and then .749. In the KBO, Kim exhibited more power than Lee but with lower batting averages, holding a career average of .294 in Korea.