MLB’s Next Big Thing? Korean Left-Handed Outfielder Draws Mets, Giants, Yankees Interest

Giants, Padres, Yankees, Mets, and others enter the race
Kiwoom’s general manager: Cheer for Lee Jung Hoo on his new challenges

After a game between the Samsung Lions and Kiwoom Heroes in the 2023 KBO League at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul’s Guro District on the afternoon of the 10th. Kiwoom’s Lee Jung Hoo is greeting fans. / Yonhap News

The battle to recruit Lee Jung Hoo (25, Kiwoom Heroes) is heating up among Major League Baseball (MLB) teams.

Kiwoom, Lee’s current team, announced on the 4th that “Lee Jung Hoo has been posted for Major League Baseball on Monday and will have 30 days to reach an agreement with one of its teams, from 8 a.m. ET on Tuesday to 5 p.m. ET on January 3.”

Accordingly, the start date for Lee’s MLB negotiation will be 8 a.m. on the 5th, based on U.S. Eastern Time.

The negotiation deadline is 5 p.m. on the 3rd of next month, based on U.S. Eastern Time.

If he fails to reach an agreement with an MLB team during this period, he will have to pursue a move to the U.S. again through the free agency (FA) or posting system. This requires team approval after November 1 next year.

If Lee is successful in entering the Major League, he will be the fourth player from Kiwoom to reach the big league stage through the posting system, following Kang Jung Ho (2014, Pittsburgh Pirates), Park Byung Ho (2015, Minnesota Twins), and Kim Ha Seong (2020, San Diego Padres).

Kiwoom’s team general manager, Go Hyung Wook, said, “We support him, who is stepping up to challenge a bigger stage with posting eligibility.”

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The transfer fee that Kiwoom, Lee’s original team, receives varies depending on the total amount of Lee’s contract.

Kiwoom will receive 20% of the guaranteed amount if Lee signs for $25 million or less.

If the total is between $25,000,001 and $50 million, they will receive $5 million, 20% of the minimum baseline of $25 million, and 17.5% of the guaranteed amount exceeding $25 million.

If the total exceeds $50,000,001, they will receive an additional 15% of the amount exceeding $50 million, on top of the compensation amount of $4,375,000 for up to $50 million.

Yahoo Sports in the U.S. quoted MLB Trade Rumors, specializing in MLB trade market news, predicting that Lee will sign a contract worth $50 million for five years.

As more teams are looking for a center fielder with a batting average that can be expected to hit .300, the total contract amount is expected to increase if competition for recruitment intensifies.

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USA Today reported that the so-called “‘rich club” New York Mets are interested in recruiting Lee.

They also reported, “The Mets are having a quiet winter, but their interest in Korea’s center fielder Lee Jung Hoo is hot.”

John Heyman, an MLB Network reporter who was the first to report the date of Lee’s MLB posting, posted on his social media account, “Many teams, including the San Francisco Giants, San Diego, and New York Yankees, are showing interest.”

San Francisco is a team that showed direct interest in Lee, with team manager Pete Purtell visiting the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul to see him. San Diego reportedly considers recruiting Lee an alternative after sorting out Juan Soto.