The San Francisco Giants haven’t exactly been buying at the very top of the free agent market like their divisional rival Los Angeles Dodgers. Sure, Willy Adames and Justin Verlander were noteworthy additions this past offseason, but they’re not exactly in the company of Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki, Blake Snell and their Dodger friends.
After an injury-shortened first season in San Francisco, it became to easy to forget the Giants’ big free agent signing of the 2023-24 offseason, CF Jung Hoo Lee. He inked a six-year, $113 million deal following seven stellar seasons in Korea (KBO). He batted .340-.407-.491 there in his age 18-24 campaigns. The Japanese center fielder might have secured an even bigger deal if not for a serious ankle injury that required surgery, ending his 2023 season near the midway point.
Lee’s first year in San Francisco was a dud for multiple reasons. The injury bug again reared its head, as a major left shoulder injury in May again required surgery, ending his campaign after only 158 plate appearances. Plus, his performance wasn’t exactly up to snuff before the injury, as he hit only .262-.310-.331 in that limited playing time.
So far in 2025, it’s been a far different story for both player and team. The Giants are 12-4 through Monday’s games, and Lee has led the way with a .322-.394-.644 line. It’s early, and conclusions can’t be drawn from his early success, or even from his 2024 struggles. What might we have in Jung Hoo Lee once he settles into the player he truly is?
First of all, his tools are pretty solid across the board. Only below average bat speed is a true weakness. His bat to ball skills are excellent – he has always made a ton of contact, even when he struggled with the adjustment to MLB in 2024. He’s at least an average CF defender, and probably a bit better than that, and his arm is strong for that position. His straight ahead speed is above average, though he’s never truly been a stolen base threat, even in Korea.
The performance in the KBO, as previously stated, was heavy on batting average, with middling power. Lee walked more than he struck out over those seven years. He hit only 65 homers total, though he did hit as many as 23 in a season, and his man strength was just beginning to arrive at the end of his tenure there. He never stole more than 13 bases in a season. Obviously, the level of competition in MLB is much higher, so it would be unfair to expect a .340 hitter with double-digit homers and steals and a pristine K/BB profile upon his arrival here.
But the Giants certainly expected more than he was giving them in 2024, even before the shoulder injury. He made tons of contact and his liner rate and grounder authority were acceptable. However, his fly ball authority was relatively weak, and often in the 80-95 mph can of corn zone. Only 3 of his 39 fly balls were hit at 100 mph or higher, with a peak of 104.4 mph. Obviously, his performance would have been worth far less than his 2024 salary, even if he had remained healthy.
Thus far in 2025, Lee’s liner rate is up substantially (near where it routinely was in Korea), and his pop up rate is down. I wouldn’t be shocked if both of those trends continue. I’m not sure about the staying power of the biggest change in his profile – the increase in his fly ball authority. His average fly ball exit speed is up by almost five to just under 93 mph. Almost half – 6 of 13 – of the fly balls he has hit have had exit speeds over 100 mph. His peak fly ball exit speed has remained virtually unchanged, however, at 104.5 mph.
Has Lee suddenly developed the ability to square up the baseball in the air more consistently, despite a fairly substantial drop in his fly ball rate? He hasn’t gotten stronger, or else his peak exit speed would have increased markedly. I’m just not buying the early power surge. He’s clearly going to post better numbers in 2025 than he did in 2024, but he’s not going to hit 30 homers, and probably won’t hit 20.
I believe has a chance to be a .300 hitter for the Giants this season, and that he could walk nearly as much as he whiffs. He’s a high floor player who brings more to the table than his offensive skills. His ability to remain healthy is of at least some concern, but I’m not ready to call him injury prone.
Honestly, I see him as a comparable bat to the Red Sox’ Masataka Yoshida, but with better secondary skills. Yoshida hit .326-.419-.538 in Japan (a bit stronger league than Korea) in his age 22-28 seasons. Yoshida has hit .285-.343-.433 in his time stateside, and I would peg Lee around a .775 OPS as well, more like a .300-.360-.415 guy, with the OBP edge making Lee preferable. Toss in youth, defense, and speed advantages, and I don’t see Lee fighting for his job a couple years into his MLB career like Yoshida is.
Lee has been batting in the third spot in the Giant order, and has been hitting like a three-hole guy to date. As time goes on, I expect him to function more like a #1-2 hitter, but one who can fit in almost anywhere in a lineup. Will he be worth his contract? A lot of that will depend on health, but Lee appears to be a high-floor, fairly unique player who exudes plenty of winning characteristics. The Giant lineup is better with him in it.
