South Korean baseball player Lee Jung-hoo of the San Francisco Giants is having a remarkable debut season in the big leagues.
In his first four games, Lee drew a .286 batting average, a .368 on-base with a slugging of .500, four RBIs, and a home run. The Giants rookie blasted his big league home run in just his third game, and he drew three walks against the San Diego Padres on April 1.
Former KBO legend and current KIA Tigers manager Lee Bum-ho, who has witnessed Lee Jung-hoo’s journey from a young age, said “He was just an elementary school student when I was playing on the field. I was in the KBO league straight after high school, but making a debut as rapid as he is truly exceptional. It was amazing to see him grow at Kiwoom Heroes. I often questioned how he managed such fast growth.”
Lee fulfilled his dream of playing in the big leagues when he signed the $113-million, six-year contract with the San Francisco Giants last year. Lee’s deal far surpassed the previous agreements, such as Ryu Hyun-jin’s $36 million, six-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Japanese slugger Masataka Yoshida’s five-year, $90 million contract with the Boston Red Sox for the 2023 season, making Lee the most expensive outfielder ever for an Asian player in the major leagues.
Drafted in the first round of the 2017 KBO rookie draft by the Nexen Heroes, Lee batted .344 with 515 RBI and 65 home runs in his 884 career games in the KBO. In his 2022 KBO season, he batted .349 with 193 hits, 23 home runs, and 113 RBIs, earning him the KBO MVP title.
Lee also represented Korea in various international competitions, including the Asia Professional Baseball Championship in 2017, the Asian Games in 2018, WBSC Premier12 in 2019, and the World Baseball Classic in 2021 and 2023. In just seven years of his professional debut, Lee Jung-hoo was establishing himself as a Korean baseball superstar.
His remarkable performance continues in the big league. After just four games, Lee has cemented his place as the Giants’ leadoff hitter.
Coach Lee praised Giants rookie Lee Jung-hoo, saying, “I was impressed when he hit the ball to the side of Kim Ha-seong. It’s rare to hit such a ball as a line drive, especially from a high outside pitch. It demonstrates his ability to play with top-class pitchers in the U.S.”
Coach Lee anticipates Lee Jung-hoo to hit over ten home runs with his fast swing during this MLB season. He noted, “He may not prioritize home runs and only think about batting average, but he can hit a home run.”
