Yankees Among Teams Linked to Korean Outfielder

Korean star Jung Hoo Lee is set to be posted next month and the New York Yankees are among the teams likely to pursue him.

The New York Yankees are one of three teams that have been directly tied to Korean outfielder Jung Hoo Lee, who could be an answer for the Yankees in their outfield for 2024.

Lee isn’t as talked about as Japanese star pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shota Imagana, but according to the New York Post, at least 20 teams are likely to have some level of interest, with the San Diego Padres, the Yankees and the San Francisco Giants the most prominent.

Lee is expected to 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.

While the bidding for Yamamoto is expected to cost the winning team more than $200 million, not including the posting fee, Lee is likely to come with a much lower price tag. MLB Trade Rumors projects that Lee can get a deal worth $50 million over five years.

The Yankees’ 40-man depth chart in the outfield is thin at the moment. There’s superstar Aaron Judge, along with four young players — Oswaldo Cabrera, Jasson Domínguez, Estevan Florial and Everson Pereira. The Yankees traded Jake Bauers to the Brewers for two minor-league prospects.

Domínguez will miss most, if not all, of 2024 after Tommy John surgery.

So, the Yankees do have room for a player like Lee who can hit for average and brings an above-average glove to the table after seven years in the KBO.

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.

Once Lee is posted, time will be of the essence for both his camp and for MLB teams that are pursuing him. Unlike Yamamoto and Imagana, who get a 45-day window once they’re posted, Lee only gets 30 days.