Watch: SF Giants CF Jung-Hoo Lee reveal his MLB dream as a child

A clip began circulating this week of SF Giants center fielder Jung-Hoo Lee talking about his dream to play in MLB as a child.
Watch: SF Giants CF Jung-Hoo Lee reveal his MLB dream as a child
Watch: SF Giants CF Jung-Hoo Lee reveal his MLB dream as a child /
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The SF Giants have a new star in town, and people are already excited about him. Center fielder Jung-Hoo Lee, in his very first press conference with the team since his signing was announced, has already captured the hearts of fans. But the feeling is likely mutual for Lee, who's been dreaming of playing in MLB since he was a child.

In a video posted on Facebook by KBS News, one of South Korea's main news networks, a young Lee is seen on a TV show with his elementary school team, alongside his father, who was a prominent professional player himself. When prompted, Lee shares that his dream is to play for Major League Baseball one day. In just a few months, that day will finally come.

Lee, who at 26 has long been a superstar in the KBO, has an already jeweled resume. He's a five-time Gold Glove outfielder, an award equivalent to MLB's Gold Glove, was Rookie of the Year after skipping the KBO's "farm system" entirely, and was voted league MVP in 2022. Before even making it over to MLB, he has many accomplishments to be proud of. He's widely considered the best player in the KBO, but that wasn't enough for him.

In a wonderful speech prepared for his press conference and delivered in English, not his native language, he again expressed how the Giants are helping him fulfill a lifelong dream, "Hello Giants, my name is Jung-Hoo Lee, 'Grandson of the Wind' from Korea. Thank you for helping me achieve my dream to play in MLB," he shared with the crowd. "I am here to win and will always give my best for my teammates and fans. Let's go Giants!"

He may not have taken a single at-bat in the orange and black yet, but one thing is for sure: however excited Jung-Hoo Lee is to finally experience this dream he's worked so hard for, SF Giants fans will be just as thrilled to watch him do it.


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Natasha Welingkar
NATASHA WELINGKAR

Natasha Welingkar (she/her) is a creative marketer, writer, and lifelong Bay Area sports fan. Born to Indian immigrants, she has been obsessed with baseball since infancy, picking up on the sport through her parents' love of the SF Giants and the soothing sounds of Jon Miller on the radio.Natasha received a Bachelor's degree from Cal with a major in cognitive science and minor in journalism. In college, she covered breaking news, national politics, and lifestyle for The Tab’s Berkeley offshoot. She also led the campus’ official creative agency, an organization responsible for campus-wide design education as well as graphic design, photography, and web design work for student organizations.