Lee Jeong-hoo (25), the best star in the KBO league,메이저사이트 is already emerging as a candidate to heat up the major league offseason.
As leading local media outlets have given Lee Jeong-hoo positive reviews, placing him on the target list of major clubs, competition to recruit him is expected to intensify. Recently, the San Diego Padres were mentioned first.
On the 11th, Major League Trade Rumors (MLBTR) said, “Lee Jeong-hoo had ankle surgery and ended the season early, but he will be posted to the major leagues this winter.” He added, “Padres, who have traditionally shown aggressive moves in overseas markets, are interested in signing Kim Ha-seong.” He said, “I am in an advantageous position to recruit Lee Jeong-hoo, who was my close friend and colleague.”
In order to quickly adapt to an unfamiliar league, San Diego, where Kim Ha-seong has established himself as a starter, may be the best team for Lee Jeong-hoo. However, we need to look at the situation in San Diego’s outfield. Left fielder Juan Soto, center fielder Trent Grisham, and right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. are San Diego’s outfield lineup. Soto and Tatis are key players that need no explanation, and Lee Jung-hoo can be considered an alternative to Grisham, who has a weak hit.
LA Angels Mike Trout. AP Yonhap NewsAnother media outlet, The Athletic, selected the New York Yankees as a team that would covet Lee Jung-hoo. On the 12th, the media reported, ‘Cody Bellinger? Mike Trout? In an article titled ‘Who will be the Yankees’ center fielder in 2024 with Jason Dominguez out of action’, Lee Jung-hoo was mentioned as a candidate.
Dominguez is a promising center fielder for the Yankees. He recently suffered an elbow injury and surgery is inevitable, so he will have to undergo rehabilitation until the first half of next year.
Reporter Chris Kershner, who wrote the article, said, ‘KBO star Lee Jeong-hoo is scheduled to be posted by the Kiwoom Heroes this offseason. The 25-year-old was selected as MVP last year and recorded an OPS of 0.863 this season before suffering a left ankle injury. If the Yankees want to recruit a contact-oriented hitter first, Lee Jung-hoo is a very attractive choice. ‘It will happen,’ he said.
It is a widely known fact in the major leagues that Lee Jeong-hoo’s strength is his ability to hit the ball. This is what FanGraphs emphasized when it placed Lee Jeong-hoo in 4th place in its international prospect rankings earlier this year.
Lee Jung-hoo ranks first in KBO history with a career batting average of 0.340. Although he did not meet the required at-bats this year, he hit .300 with over 100 hits for the 7th consecutive year and 1,181 hits in his career. What attracts the most attention is his strikeout rate. His career strikeout rate is 7.70%. He was at 5.10% last year when he won MVP, and he was at 5.96% this season despite not being in great shape.
This figure is similar to the 5.87% of Luis Arraez of the Miami Marlins, who ranked first in the Major League, who attempted to hit .400 with a batting average this year but ultimately failed. Among Yankees hitters this year, the player with the lowest strikeout rate is Jose Trevino at 13.1%, and among hitters who exceeded the required number of plate appearances, it is Gleyber Torres at 14.3%. This means that there is no style like Lee Jung-hoo.
Chicago Cubs Cody Bellinger. USATODAY Yonhap NewsOf course, this does not mean that the Yankees make Lee Jung-hoo their top target. Reporter Kershner believed that the Yankees could acquire the Chicago Cubs’ Cody Bellinger in the free agent market or the LA Angels’ Mike Trout through a trade.
However, Bellinger is expected to demand a ransom of more than $200 million, which is a burden for the Yankees. The Yankees already have three ‘$300 million’ players, including Giancarlo Stanton, Gerrit Cole, and Aaron Judge. Moreover, Bellinger has a history of struggling with injuries and being kicked out of the Dodgers after winning the NL MVP in 2019. It is difficult to say that he has recovered completely.
The same goes for Trout. Trout was named AL MVP for the third time in 2019, but has suffered from injuries every year since 2021 and has not been able to exceed the required number of plate appearances for three years until this year. This year, the season was virtually canceled due to a palm injury. In other words, Reporter Kirshner’s opinion is that Bellinger and Trout are not suitable candidates for the Yankees due to their high prices and injury risk.
Reporter Kershner said, ‘Other than two stars, Bellinger and Trout, there is no suitable center fielder in the free agent market. Harrison Bader, who was released on waivers a few weeks ago, is now showing signs of recovery with the Cincinnati Reds and can find a team with a multi-year contract, but it would be difficult if the Yankees offer a one-year contract,’ he said, referring to Lee Jung-hoo.