This means that the official process for Jung-hoo Lee to join the major leagues has begun. However, it's Thanksgiving in the U.S., so the MLB office won't post about Lee until early December. The Major League Baseball Winter Meetings will be held in Nashville, Tennessee, from December 5-7, so a full-scale search will begin immediately between Lee's agent, Scott Boras, and the teams interested in signing him.
The KBO recently received a request from the MLB office for a background check on Lee, and on the same day, it received Lee's medical records from Kiwoom and delivered them to the MLB office. According to the Korean-American Players' Contract Agreement, the club that signs Lee can't void the contract even if a later medical test reveals an injury, meaning that negotiations will proceed based on the medical records delivered by the KBO.
The posting period is 30 days. If a contract is not agreed upon by early January, Lee won't be able to post until November 1 of next year. But the odds of that happening are close to zero. A number of major league teams have expressed interest in Lee.
Especially in this free agency market, where there is a severe shortage of quality, top-of-the-line beasts. Shohei Ohtani, Cody Bellinger, and Matt Chapman are the top tier, followed by Jorge Soler, JD Martinez, Rueredes Gurriel Jr, Teoscar Hernandez, Rhys Hoskins, and now Lee.
There are two main reasons why Lee is so highly regarded. Only Ryu Hyun-jin (free agent) and Kim Ha-seong (San Diego) have reached the major leagues at that age. Ryu, born in March 1987, signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012 and Kim, born in October 1995, signed with the San Diego Padres in December 2020. 온라인카지노
The numbers speak for themselves when it comes to Lee's ability to make contact, as his .340 career batting average ranks first in KBO history among players with at least 2,000 plate appearances. His strikeout rate, or how often he strikes out when he gets to the plate, is one of the best in KBO history. He has struck out 304 times in 3947 career at-bats. That's a 7.7% strikeout rate. In 2022, when he won the MVP, his strikeout rate was 5.1%, and this season it's 5.9%. Luis Arajuez (Miami), arguably the best contact hitter in the majors, has a 7.6% career strikeout rate and 5.5% this season.
In addition, his outfield defense is considered above average in the majors. His ability to hit, his range, his strong shoulders, and his quick feet make him an "all-around" player.
In an article titled "Yankees outfield is full of questions and competition," New York Post reporter John Heyman said, "The New York Yankees are not only looking at Juan Soto (San Diego), but also Lee Jung-hoo, who is just 25 years old and has drawn interest from 20 teams.