Jung Hoo Lee to make SF Giants Spring Training debut on Tuesday

Feb 27, 2024, 7:44 AM | Updated: 7:47 am

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 19: Jung Hoo Lee of the San Francisco Giants takes batting practice ...

(Photo by Andy Kuno/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images)

Sacramento Kings Beat Writer

Jung Hoo Lee is set to wear the orange and black in game action for the very first time on Tuesday afternoon.

After missing the first few games of Spring Training due to side soreness, the 25-year-old is in the lineup for the San Francisco Giants’ exhibition against the Seattle Mariners at Scottsdale Stadium in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Lee, who is San Francisco’s most notable new addition from an offseason of spending that also brought Jorge Soler and Jordan Hicks to the Bay Area, will bat leadoff in manager Bob Melvin’s lineup.

In December, the Giants inked Lee to a six-year, $113 million contract in hopes of bringing a contact-heavy hitter to a lineup that needed a boost at the top of the order in the outfield.

First pitch for Giants vs. Mariners is set for 12:05 PM PST.

Giants lineup tomorrow, Jung Hoo Lee in the leadoff spot. pic.twitter.com/vkOkNxXmVJ

— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) February 26, 2024

About new Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee

Lee was one of the notable bats available on the market this offseason, and with Shohei Ohtani heading to the Los Angeles Dodgers and Juan Soto being traded to the New York Yankees, San Francisco jumped in and acquired a solid bat to put at the top of their 2024 lineup and beyond.

The Korean star has been a force in the KBO, where he has hit .340 with 1,181 hits, 65 home runs, and 515 RBI over seven seasons (884 games).

It’s no secret that the Giants have been looking for stability in the outfield, with center field acting as a revolving door over the past couple of seasons.

In Lee, San Francisco has an outfielder who has logged nearly 5,000 innings in center since he started his professional baseball career.

Getting on base is another thing that Lee will bring to the table. In 2023, the new Giant hit .318 while walking 49 times (against 23 strikeouts) over 86 games.

Those walk numbers might jump off the page, but that’s just last year alone. During his KBO career, Lee has walked 383 times while striking out just 304 times.

Lee will fit a few needs for San Francisco, first as a lead-off threat due to his elite walk rate, contact rate, and on-base percentage (.407 career).