Orioles Get Timeline On Posting of Korean Star
The Baltimore Orioles probably don’t need to take a run at Korean outfielder Jung Hoo Lee, but watching how the rest of the league pursues him may help the Orioles calibrate their own free-agent pursuits.
The league got an idea of what Lee’s posting schedule will be this weekend.
He will be posted for MLB teams to pursue in early December, per multiple reports. That would allow all 30 teams to take a swing at Lee, who plays for the Kiwoom Heroes in the Korean Baseball Organization.
It’s possible the Orioles have at least prepared to inquire about Lee, a quality contact hitter with an above-average glove. Per the New York Post, at least 20 teams are likely to have some level of interest, with the San Diego Padres, the New York Yankees and the San Francisco Giants the most prominent.
But the reality is the Orioles are set in the outfield unless they make moves, such as a potential trade of veteran Anthony Santander, who is entering his final year of arbitration and could net $14 million.
Along with Santander, there is Austin Hays and Cedric Mullins, along with two of the top outfield prospects in the Majors waiting in the wings in Colton Cowser and Heston Kjerstad.
If the Orioles are interested, they will only have 30 days from his posting to strike a deal, since he’s being posted from the KBO. Japanese stars Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shota Imagana get 45 days once they’re posted.
Lee has played in the KBO since he was 18 years old. He spent two years with Nexen before joining Kiwoom. He’s been an incredibly consistent hitter in the KBO, as he’s batted over .300 in each of his seven seasons and has a lifetime batting average of .340.
He’s not a power hitter — his career-high is 23 home runs in 2022 — but he’s drawn more walks than strikeouts each of the last five seasons.
In the outfield, he has a .992 fielding percentage. He also missed the second half of the 2023 season due to ankle surgery.
