Even the New York Yankees, one of the best teams in the Major League Baseball (MLB), cannot easily guarantee the signing of Lee Jung-hoo (25-KEUM Heroes). That is the value of the former KBO MVP.
“The New York Yankees’ pursuit of outfielders is fraught with doubts and competition,” said the New York Post on April 24 (KST). “The Yankees have inquired about South Korean center fielder Lee Jung-hoo, who is only 24 years old. But there are 20 teams chasing him.”
As Lee approaches the start of his major league posting, the recruiting frenzy is heating up. According to a source close to the organization, Lee will be posted after Thanksgiving in the U.S. and won’t leave until early December at the latest.
The Yankees have been consistently mentioned as a possible destination for Lee as one of the major teams looking for an outfielder, especially in the middle infield, in this free agency. As of now, the Yankees outfield is not a sure thing, with the exception of right fielder Aaron Judge, 32. In that situation, Lee’s ability to make excellent contact and above-average center field defense makes him attractive.
Another outlet, MLBTradeRumors, narrowed down the Yankees and San Francisco Giants as the two teams interested in Lee, saying, “According to MLB Network’s John Morosi, it’s not surprising that the Yankees and San Francisco are interested in Lee. Both teams have been scouting him since he played in the KBO and he fits their targets this winter.”
Lee joined the Nexen Heroes (now Kiwoom) with the first pick in the 2017 rookie draft, and over his seven-season career, Lee batted .340 with 65 home runs, 515 RBI, 581 runs scored, 69 stolen bases, a .407 on-base percentage, a .491 slugging percentage, and an OPS of 0.898. In 2022, he won MVP honors with a .349 batting average, 23 home runs, 113 RBIs, and a .996 OPS, ranking first in batting average among active players with at least 3,000 career plate appearances. This season, however, he was limited to 86 games due to injury and finished with a .318 batting average, six home runs, 45 RBIs, and an OPS of 0.861.
“Lee was lost for the season in early July due to ankle surgery, but he underwent a three-month rehabilitation and is not expected to miss spring training next year,” said MLB Trade Rumors. “Lee will still be a target for a variety of teams and is unusually young for a free agent. While teams may disagree on whether he can play center field in the majors, others praise his contact ability and strike zone awareness. If a team believes he has better defense in the corner outfield, his average below-average power would be even more alarming.”
With a player like Lee so attractive to any team, the Yankees shouldn’t be worried about the premium of being the reigning major league champions. That doesn’t mean other targets can rest easy. In addition to Lee, free agents Cody Bellinger and Juan Soto (25, San Diego Padres) are being pursued in trades, but it won’t be easy.
“The Yankees are interested in Soto and like free agent Cody Bellinger,” said the New York Post, but “some are worried about Bellinger’s on-base percentage after his breakout season. A left-handed hitter, Bellinger bounced back from a few injury-plagued years to become a fine center fielder with a .306 batting average and is a perfect fit for the Yankees. But some analytics are definitely working against him.”
Bellinger looked to be on his way to winning the National League MVP in 2019, when he hit 47 home runs with a 1.035 OPS with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but injuries and poor play led to a complete collapse from 2020 to 2022, when he hit a combined 41 home runs. However, after being released by the Los Angeles Dodgers, he signed a one-year deal with the Chicago Cubs and has rebounded somewhat this year, hitting .307 with 26 home runs, 97 RBI, 20 doubles, and an OPS of 0.881 in 130 games. 캡틴토토 주소
Kim’s teammate Soto has rebounded perfectly this year, hitting .275 with 35 homers, 109 RBIs, 12 doubles, and a .930 OPS in 162 games. However, due to the team’s impending luxury tax, Soto is up for sale with a year left until free agency.
