Giants Seal $113 Million Deal With Asian-Born Hitter Jung Hoo Lee — Sources

(Photo : Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images) Outfielder Lee Jung-Hoo (#51) of the Kiwoom Heroes makes his way to first base in the bottom of the eighth inning during the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) League opening game between Kiwoom Heroes and Lotte Giants at Gocheok Skydome on April 02, 2022 in Seoul, South Korea.

The San Francisco Giants have reportedly come to terms with South Korean outfielder Jung Hoo Lee, per sources.

The 25-year-old Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) star reportedly agreed to a six-year deal worth $113 million on Tuesday, December 12, per sources via Jon Heyman of the New York Post. The deal is the largest for an Asian-born hitter headed to Major League Baseball.

Jung Hoo Lee to Giants. 6 years, $113M. opt out after 4 years.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 12, 2023

The Giants have yet to officially confirm the deal that allegedly also includes an opt-out clause after four years, according to a source via MLB.com.

There are big expectations on Lee, who the Kiwoom Heroes posted after seven seasons. This allowed him to seek an opportunity to play in Major League Baseball.

Big expectations on "Grandson of the Wind"

Lee will try to show his stuff in the MLB, and there are big expectations. This is because his father, Jong Beom Lee, is regarded as the best all-around player in the KBO since the 90s.

The "Grandson of the Wind" owns a .340/.407/. He had a 491 slash line during his KBO career, never hitting below .318 in any season. Aside from that, he is an above-average defender in center field, meaning he can be an asset on both sides of the ball.

Lee was also linked to the San Diego Padres, wherein his close friend Ha-Seong Kim plays infield. However, the Giants pushed their pursuit for the 2017 KBO Rookie of the Year after Shohei Ohtani signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, ESPN reported.

Once made official, the Lee signing also gives the Giants a huge sigh of relief, considering they had previous attempts of signing big names scorned. That list includes Aaron Judge and Carlos Correa, two attempts that were unfortunately spurned.