U.S. media “FA 16th ranked Lee Jeong-hoo, if recruiting Bellinger is difficult
Outfielder Lee Jeong-hoo, who is knocking on the door of the big leagues through the posting system (private competitive bidding), was ranked 16th in free agency.
The American sports media outlet ‘The Athletic’ revealed this winter’s Major League Baseball (MLB) ‘FA TOP 40′. The Athletic’s writers Keith Law, Tim Britton, Aaron Gleeman, Eno Sarris, and Jim Bowden ranked the players individually and then added the numbers to announce the players’ rankings.
As expected, first place went to ‘superstar’ Shohei Ohtani, who is shaking up the free agent market. Pitcher Aaron Nola, who signed a contract with the Philadelphia Phillies, followed, and Japanese right-handed ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who made his presence known to many scouts, took third place overall.
Lee Jung-hoo’s ranking is 16th overall, and when narrowed to outfielders, he is the second highest ranking after Cody Bellinger (4th). Among The Athletic’s staff, Keith Law and Tim Britton ranked Jeong-hoo Lee 10th and 13th, respectively, while Aaron Gleeman (17th) and Eno Sarris (15th) also gave Jeong-hoo Lee high scores. Jim Borden, who gave a relatively poor evaluation compared to the other four, ranked Lee Jeong-hoo in 37th place.
The Athletic said, “In a free agent market with many corner outfielders in their 30s, 25-year-old Jeong-hoo Lee, who can play center field, stands out. If it is difficult (for clubs) to recruit Bellinger, Jeong-hoo Lee could be the next target.” “He predicted.
He continued, “Lee Jeong-hoo, who won the 2022 KBO League MVP as a member of the Kiwoom Heroes, had a difficult season this season due to an ankle fracture, but showed an OPS that was about 32% higher than the league average over the past three seasons, which is similar to Kang Jeong-ho’s record before entering the big league. “It’s better than before Kim Ha-seong went to the major leagues,” he added. He also introduced Lee Jeong-hoo, saying, “He hit 23 home runs last season, but he only hit double-digit home runs once in the season.”
Lee Jeong-hoo is receiving a lot of attention from teams looking to reinforce the outfield. In particular, the San Francisco Giants, New York Mets, and San Diego Padres emerged as recruitment candidates. Among them, San Diego, which gave away two outfielders Juan Soto and Trent Grisham through a trade with the New York Yankees, has emerged as a destination for Lee Jung-hoo.
Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the official website of the Major League Baseball, said on the 7th, “San Diego saved more than $30 million per year by sending Soto. The only starting outfielder left on the team is Fernando Tatis Jr. Lee Jung-hoo is on San Diego’s list of potential recruits. “It is on the priority list, and a contract may be concluded quickly,” the report said.
The Toronto Blue Jays are also considered one of the potential candidates. The American media ‘ESPN’ predicted on the 8th that if Ohtani remains with the Angels, Toronto will be able to recruit Lee Jung-hoo. The media said, “The competition for Lee Jung-hoo is getting fiercer. It is expected that Lee Jung-hoo will sign a 5-year contract worth more than $90 million (approximately 118.6 billion won) between Boston and Masataka Yoshida last year.” They added, “The talented Lee Jung-hoo is doubtful. “He is an undisputed center fielder. He can be placed in the top lineup along with Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. If Toronto recruits him, they will become a better team than they are now,” he predicted.
Meanwhile, ‘Korean Monster’ Ryu Hyun-jin, who is looking for a new team, was ranked 36th in this FA rankings. Among The Athletic’s staff, Sarris ranked Ryu Hyun-jin 27th, while Bowden and Britton ranked Ryu 35th and 36th, respectively. Keith Law and Aaron Gleeman did not include Hyun-Jin Ryu in their top 40 list.
Ryu Hyun-jin, who left the LA Dodgers at the end of the 2019 season and has been with Toronto for four years starting in 2020, has become ‘free’ as his contract expires, and is currently contemplating whether to remain in the United States or return to the KBO League. In the U.S., Ryu Hyun-jin is expected to be a great help to teams that need to reinforce their starting lineup, especially 4-5 starters. 먹튀검증 .
The Athletic said, “Considering Ryu Hyun-jin’s long injury history, he showed effective performance until his mid-30s, and as a free agent signing a one-year contract when he turns 37, he is likely to take responsibility for the back of the contender team’s starting rotation.” ‘s average fastball velocity was 88.6 mph, the lowest among all starting pitchers, but even when he was at his healthiest, he never exceeded 90 mph. He is continuing a good trend by boldly throwing into the strike zone and dealing with right-handed hitters with changeups and breaking balls, but he is on the rise in the future. “It is questionable whether it will continue,” he said.