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Jung-hoo Lee

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The native form of this personal name is Lee Jung-hoo. This article uses Western name order when mentioning individuals.
In this Korean name, the family name is Lee.
Jung-hoo Lee
Jung-hoo with the Kiwoom Heroes in 2019
San Francisco Giants – No. 51
Outfielder
Born: (1998-08-20) August 20, 1998 (age 26)
Nagoya, Aichi, Japan[1]
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
Professional debut
KBO: April 1, 2017, for the Nexen Heroes
MLB: March 28, 2024, for the San Francisco Giants
KBO statistics
(through 2023 season)
Batting average.340
Home runs65
Runs batted in515
MLB statistics
(through 2024 season)
Batting average.262
Home runs2
Runs batted in8
Teams
Career highlights and awards
KBO
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing  South Korea
Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 2018 Jakarta Team
WBSC Premier12
Silver medal – second place 2019 Tokyo Team
Jung-hoo Lee
Hangul
이정후
Hanja
李政厚
Revised RomanizationI Jeong-hu
McCune–ReischauerI ijŏn-hu

Jung-hoo Lee (Korean: 이정후; born August 20, 1998) is a South Korean professional baseball outfielder for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in the KBO League for the Kiwoom Heroes.

Lee won the KBO League Rookie of the Year Award in 2017 and the KBO League Most Valuable Player Award in 2022. He won five consecutive Golden Glove Awards from 2018 to 2022. Lee has also played for the South Korean national baseball team at the 2019 WBSC Premier12, 2020 Summer Olympics and the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

He is the son of Lee Jong-beom, who starred in the KBO League and earned the nickname "Son of the Wind,"[2][3][4] earning the younger Lee the moniker "Grandson of the Wind."[5][6]

Early life

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Lee was born on August 20, 1998, in Nagoya, Japan, when his father was playing in NPB for the Chunichi Dragons.[7] In a profile of his father when Lee Jung-hoo was seven years old, he was already attracting attention for his devotion to baseball and his skill at the game.[4]

Professional career

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Nexen / Kiwoom Heroes

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The Nexen Heroes selected Lee in the 2017 KBO League draft (held in 2016), as an infielder. Following spring training, Lee was included on the team's Opening Day roster at age 18 without going through the KBO Futures League. Converted to an outfielder, Lee became the first rookie out of high school to appear in every game for a KBO team. He finished the season batting .324/.395/.417 with 2 home runs, 47 RBIs, 12 stolen bases, and 179 hits, which set a new rookie record for hits. At the conclusion of the season, Lee was voted KBO League Rookie of the Year Award.[8]

In 2018, Lee batted .355/.412/.477. In 2019 he batted .336/.386/.456. In 2019, he won series MVP in the playoffs. His father, Lee Jong-beom, won the MVP award in the 1993 Korean Series, with a batting average of .310 (9 hits in 29 at-bats) and three steals, the most in a game. With Lee Jung-hoo's selection, it became the first time in the KBO that both father and son won a postseason MVP award.[9] Lee won another Golden Glove Award in 2020[10] with a batting line of .333, 15 home runs, 101 RBIs, and a career-high OPS of .921.

In the 2022 season, Lee played in 142 games and hit .349/.421/.575 with 23 home runs and 113 RBIs. After the season, he won the KBO League Most Valuable Player Award.[11]

In 2023, Lee played in 85 games for Kiwoom, and hit .319/.407/.456 with six home runs and 45 RBIs. On July 25, 2023, it was announced that Lee would undergo season–ending surgery after suffering a fractured ankle.[12] On December 4, Lee was officially posted to Major League Baseball (MLB) by the Heroes.[13]

San Francisco Giants

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On December 14, 2023, Lee signed a six-year, $113 million contract with the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball.[14][15] The Giants also had to pay an additional posting fee of $18.825 million to the Kiwoom Heroes.[16]

Lee hit his first home run in MLB on March 30, 2024, against the San Diego Padres. Family members, including his father, were in attendance to witness the event. Lee suffered an injury to his left shoulder on May 12, and the Giants announced that he would undergo season–ending labrum surgery on May 17.[17] In 37 games for the Giants, Lee had hit .262/.310/.331 with two home runs and eight RBI.

International career

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He represented South Korea at the 2018 Asian Games.[18] He delivered the winning RBI against Taiwan on November 17.[19] He played for Team Korea at the 2019 WBSC Premier12 tournament, and led the tournament with five doubles. He represented South Korea at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

References

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  1. ^ "네이버 뉴스 라이브러리". Naver Newslibrary (in Korean). August 21, 1998. Retrieved November 17, 2019.
  2. ^ "Power rankings, top players, key storylines and more: Everything you need for KBO opening day". ESPN.com. May 4, 2020. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
  3. ^ Yoo Jee-ho (July 4, 2020). "2nd-generation KBO star wants to see more sons of ex-players thrive". Yonhap News Agency.
  4. ^ a b Chang Hye-soo; Limb Jae-un (April 25, 2005). "Kia Tigers outfielder invigorated after last season's slump, pay cut". Korea JoongAng Daily.
  5. ^ "Giants outfielder Lee Jung-hoo takes lessons learned from legendary father to MLB". Yonhap. December 16, 2023.
  6. ^ Kim Jin-hee (September 8, 2017). "[KBO] '바람의 손자' 이정후 "이종범 뛰어넘기보다 저 자체로 인정받고파…새로운 별명 공모합니다!"" [[KBO] ‘Grandson of the Wind’ Lee Jeong-hoo, 'Rather than surpassing Lee Jong-beom, I want to be recognized for who I am... I’m running a contest for a new nickname!']. Etoday (in Korean). Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  7. ^ Spradling, Shawn [@Shawn_Spradling] (December 12, 2023). "Fun fact: Jung-hoo Lee is Korean. But, he was born in Nagoya, Japan" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  8. ^ "Park, Baek end Dark Ages for local aces". The Korea Times. August 8, 2017. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
  9. ^ "부전자전 이정후, 이종범과 최초 부자 PS MVPI" [The first father-son PS MVP with Lee Jeong-hoo and Lee Jong-beom]. Dailian (in Korean). October 18, 2019.
  10. ^ jeeho@yna.co.kr (December 11, 2020). "(LEAD) Star catcher earns near-unanimous support for KBO's Golden Glove". Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  11. ^ "Lee Jung-hoo named 2022 KBO MVP". November 17, 2022.
  12. ^ Anderson, R.J. (July 25, 2023). "KBO star Jung-hoo Lee expected to miss remainder of season with ankle injury ahead of MLB posting". CBSSports.com. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  13. ^ "Jung Hoo Lee posted to MLB: Former KBO MVP could set new contract record for Korean player". cbssports.com. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  14. ^ "Giants agree to six-year contract with outfielder Jung Hoo Lee". sfgiants.com. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  15. ^ "Giants tout Korean star Jung Hoo Lee as 'absolutely perfect fit'". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  16. ^ Baggarly, Andrew. "Breaking down the Giants' $132 million bet on Jung Hoo Lee: 'They paid for his ceiling'" – via NYTimes.com.
  17. ^ Bachar, Zach. "Giants' Jung Hoo Lee to Undergo Season-Ending Surgery on Shoulder Injury". Bleacher Report. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  18. ^ "2018 아시안게임 야구 대표팀 선수 교체" (in Korean). Korea Baseball Organization. August 13, 2018. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  19. ^ "Lee Jung-hoo delivers game-winning triple in sixth inning as South Korea nips Taiwan". The Japan Times. November 17, 2017. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
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