Aug 4, 2021; Yokohama, Japan; Team South Korea outfielder Jung Hoo Lee (51) hits a double against Japan in a baseball semifinal match during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Yokohama Baseball Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Yukihito Taguchi-USA TODAY Sports
Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) star outfielder Jung Hoo Lee has been posted by his team, the Kiwoom Heroes, on Monday. The announcement will open up a 30-day window where he could negotiate with MLB clubs, which will begin on Tuesday.
Lee is a target of both the Mets and Yankees, per multiple reports, who are looking for ways to bolster their outfield as the MLB Winter Meetings begin down in Nashville.
The 25-year-old Japan native is a left-handed bat who doesn’t possess an abundance of power — he hit a career-high 23 home runs in 2022, but has recorded seven or fewer round-trippers in five of his first seven professional seasons — but is a pure hitter who could provide a top-of-the-lineup presence in the majors.
He possesses a career .340 average and .407 on-base percentage (.898 OPS) while boasting a 162-game average of 94 RBI. While last season was limited to just 86 games by injury, he won the KBO MVP by slashing .349/.421/.575 (.996 OPS) with those 23 home runs and 113 RBI.
Lee also possesses a solid glove, though there are concerns about how effective a center fielder he could be in the majors — the same kind of concerns that will emerge with his lack of consistent power at the plate. After all, the KBO projects closer to the talent level in Double-A, meaning there could be some time needed to ramp him up to life in the big leagues.
The Mets currently have two-thirds of their outfield set, though specific positions could obviously change. Starling Marte is healthy and the hope from the organization is that he can recreate his 2022 All-Star campaign. Brandon Nimmo has made defensive strides in center field and posted a career-high 24 home runs last season, but he could shift to a…
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