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The Son Also Rises
By James Moreau | 07 May, 2025
Following in his father’s footsteps, Jung-hoo Lee has become the primary hit-and-run driver of San Francisco Giants’ early season success.
In just his second year in the MLB, San Francisco Giants’ center fielder Jung-hoo Lee is making a name for himself — even garnering a fan club, the “Hoo Lee Gans.”
Through April the 26-year-old batted .319, 13th best in the league. The lefty hitter had an NL-best 11 doubles to go along with 2 triples. He’s also top ten league-wide in runs scored with 23.
Much attention has been drawn to his unusual batting stance, starting with his lead leg positioned wide, à la Rafael Devers, before squaring up during the pitcher’s delivery.
The unorthodox style has been working, with Lee’s low whiff rate placing him in the 97th percentile. In addition to high contact, he’s displayed a good eye at the plate with a low 13% strikeout rate, 90th percentile.
Being a “tough out” has positioned him in the heart of the order and earned him early NL MVP consideration. With the reigning MVP Shohei Ohtani in the same division, that may be a lofty goal. But even making a first All-Star selection would be an impressive feat.
Lee’s stellar performance has helped get the Giants off to a good start — winning 61% of their games.
Lee made his MLB debut on Opening Day last year leading off for the Giants in San Diego. He batted .262 in 37 games before dislocating his left shoulder and ending his season.
Lee signed a 6-year deal with the San Francisco Giants, in December 2023, averaging close to $19 million per year.
His lucrative MLB contract came after playing 7 seasons in South Korea’s KBO League, where he was a career .340 hitter. His professional debut was on April 1, 2017 for the Nexen Heroes in a season where he was named Rookie of the Year.
Lee has represented his home country of South Korea in international tournaments despite being born in Nagoya, Japan where his father, Lee Jong-beom, played baseball for the Chunichi Dragons of the NPB. In his 19-year career, the senior Lee averaged .291 and hit 221 home runs. He even had an MVP season in 1994 for the Haitai Tigers, batting .393. Nicknamed "Son of the Wind" for his speed, Jong-beom was an All-Star in 13 of his 16 seasons in the KBO.
The Lees are the first father-son duo to have won MVP awards in the KBO, with the senior Lee winning Korean Series MVP in 1993 and 1997, and Jung-hoo winning in 2019.
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