The international competition is over, but the major league (MLB) interest in Lee Jeong-hoo (25, Kiwoom Heroes) does not disappear.
On the 13th (Korean time), MLB Trade Rumors, a media specializing in major league transfer news, introduced the ranking of big league free agents for the 2024 season and brought out the name of Lee Jung-hoo.
While Shohei Ohtani (29, LA Angels) ranked first, several star players such as Julio Urias (27, LA Dodgers) and Aaron Nola (30, Philadelphia) were listed in the top 10. Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto (25, Orix) was also ranked fourth.
Although he was not included in the top 10, the media mentioned Lee Jung-hoo’s name as ‘other notable players’ along with prominent players such as Max Scherzer (39, New York Mets) and Luis Severino (29, New York Yankees). Based on this, it can be assumed that he is at least in the top 20 of the free agent rankings. 먹튀검증
Lee Jung-hoo, who was allowed to advance overseas through the posting system by Kiwoom earlier this year, is receiving the attention of the United States. At Kiwoom’s spring camp held in Arizona last February, several major league team scouts came to observe Lee Jung-hoo.
Overseas media are also paying attention to Lee Jung-hoo. Ahead of this year’s World Baseball Classic (WBC), Lee Jung-hoo ranked 4th in the list of international prospects selected by Baseball America (BA), an American media outlet. In the rankings selected ahead of the 2009 WBC in this media, you can know the expectations for Lee Jung-hoo in that everyone from Darvish Yu (37, now San Diego) to No. .
In addition, MLB.com, the official major league website, evaluated in February that “Lee Jeong-hoo could be the best free agent among players other than Ohtani this winter,” and the New York Post ranked Lee Jung-hoo as ‘the most interesting person in the recent baseball world’ at 14th place. raised
Meanwhile, Lee Jeong-hoo, who is celebrating his 7th year in the KBO this year, won 5 batting titles last year and won the regular season MVP. Also, in the WBC, which was a virtual showcase, he showed his value by recording a batting average of 0.429 (6 hits in 14 at-bats) and an OPS of 1.071 in 4 group stage matches. However, at the beginning of his pennant race this season, he is stuck with a batting average of 0.172 (as of the 12th) due to discomfort in the lower back.