Giants agree to six-year contract with outfielder Jung Hoo Lee
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – The Giants and outfielder Jung Hoo Lee have agreed to terms on a six-year Major League contract worth $113 million, which includes an opt-out following the 2027 season. Lee will earn $7 million in 2024, $16 million in 2025, $22 million in 2026, $22 million in 2027, $20.5 million in 2028 and $20.5 million in 2029. He’ll also receive a signing bonus of $5 million. Lee will make a charitable contribution to the Giants Community Fund, donating $60,000 in 2024, $80,000 in 2025, $110,000 in 2026 and 2027, and $102,500 in 2028 and 2029.
Lee, who will play most of next season as a 25-year-old, is a five-time KBO Golden Glove Award winner (2018-2022), KBO Rookie of the Year (2017) and was named MVP in his last full season (2022). In that 2022 MVP season, Lee hit .349 with 85 runs, 36 doubles, 10 triples, 23 home runs, 113 RBI and a .996 OPS while striking out just 32 times in 627 plate appearances (142 games). His .349 average, 193 hits, 113 RBI and 10 triples in 2022 were all tops in the KBO. He also led the league in average in 2021 (.360), doubles in 2020 (49) and triples in 2019 (10).
Last season he hit .318 with 23 doubles, two triples, six home runs, 45 RBI, 50 runs scored and an .860 OPS in 86 games for the KBO’s Kiwoom Heroes before having his season cut short due to injury. Lee underwent left ankle surgery on July 27, 2023, effectively ending his season except for a brief appearance in the team’s final game on October 10.
He was a career .340 hitter with 581 runs, 244 doubles, 43 triples, 65 home runs, 515 RBI, 69 stolen bases and an .898 OPS in 884 games for Nexen/Kiwoom (2017-2023). Lee’s .340 career batting average is the highest in the history of the KBO among players with at least 3,000 plate appearances.
During this year’s World Baseball Classic, Lee appeared in four games for Korea, going 6-for-14 with two doubles and five RBI.
The Giants will hold an introductory press conference for Lee tomorrow at 1 p.m. at Oracle Park.