SF Giants spotted scouting top Korean outfielder Jung-hoo Lee
Kiwoom Heroes center fielder Jung-hoo Lee is going to be posted to MLB teams at the end of the 2023 KBO season. Earlier this month, a pro scout with the SF Giants was spotted watching the South Korean star take batting practice in preseason camp. Once again just a couple of days ago, more personnel from the Giants were seen at Heroes camp, presumably watching and taking video of the 24-year-old star for analysis.
Team South Korea outfielder Jung Hoo Lee (51) hits a single against USA during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Yokohama Baseball Stadium. (2020)
Yukihito Taguchi-USA TODAY Sports
Nicknamed "Grandson of the Wind" as he's the son of KBO legend Jong-Beom Lee, also known as "Son of the Wind", Jung-hoo is widely considered to be the best player in the KBO after winning the 2022 KBO MVP with a .349 batting average, .996 OPS, 23 home runs, 113 RBIs, and a 9.3 WAR. While Jung-hoo does not have the same speed as his father, he has more than enough speed to handle center field defensively, where he's routinely made sliding catches and has won five straight Gold Glove awards in the KBO.
Within the context of what the Giants are looking for in a player, Lee definitely fits their mold. While he has never been a big power producer despite playing in the hitter-friendly KBO, he is an elite contact hitter with excellent control of the strike zone. His .342 career batting average is a KBO record for hitters with more than 3,000 plate appearances and he has drawn more walks than strikeouts in each of the past four seasons. In fact, his strikeout rate since 2019 is a measly 6.5%. It is an impressive feat given the fact that he is the first player to skip the KBO minor leagues, going straight to the KBO after he was drafted.
Lee should command a sizable contract next offseason from an MLB team. Without any long-term pieces in the outfield, particularly center field, the SF Giants are an obvious potential landing spot for the KBO star. With as much money to spend as anyone after failing to land a superstar this offseason, they could easily make a run at Jung-hoo Lee, hoping to find a center fielder of the future.
