The biggest player among Major League Baseball (MLB) free agents this offseason is by far Cody Bellinger (28). If we narrow the scope to outfielders, Lee Jeong-hoo (25) is in second place, followed by Lee Jeong-hoo (25).
Coincidentally, the two are being targeted by the New York Yankees. According to the New York Post, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman specifically said that he would reinforce 'two left-handed outfielders.'
However, there is also the possibility that the situation may differ. What's interesting is that there is a possibility that first-choice Bellinger will not be selected by the Yankees and second-choice Jeong-hoo Lee will wear a Yankees uniform.
Bellinger, who debuted in 2017, won the National League (NL) Rookie of the Year award by hitting 39 home runs that year, and two years later, he also won the MVP award with a batting average of 0.305, 47 home runs, 95 RBI, and OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 1.035.
After that, he went on a downward trend, failing to exceed 20 home runs each season for three consecutive years, but rebounded this season with a batting average of 0.307, 26 home runs, 97 RBI, and an OPS of 0.881 for the Chicago Cubs. It is a public fact that he is the number one fielder that receives the most attention in the free agent market.
ESPN of the United States predicted Bellinger's contract to be worth $147 million (KRW 191.7 billion) over seven years. Even though Bellinger is a very good hitter, he only chose the Yankees, San Francisco Giants, and Cubs as expected destinations. He said it was also because not many teams could afford that kind of spending.
Bellinger is still one of the Yankees' recruiting targets. Previously, Sports Illustrated (SI) said, “The Yankees would be suitable for outfielders such as Cody Bellinger, Lee Jung-hoo, and Louerdes Gurriel Jr. They may also hang on to Gleyber Torres,” adding, “To become younger, more balanced, and more agile overall.” “A number of steps have to be taken, and this means the Yankees will be more active in the market.”
However, there is bad news coming from Bellinger. MLB.com, the official MLB website, pointed out on this day, "The Yankees are widely known as one of Bellinger's strongest competitors, but they may not be a better fit than previously thought."
An article by MLB Network Insider reporter 온라인카지노 Jon Heyman was quoted. The media reported that Bellinger's hard contact rate was 31.4%, ranking 10th among hitters with regulation plate appearances. Considering the Yankees' tendency to prefer hitters with an above-average hard hit rate, Bellinger may not be selected. A hard hit refers to a ball hit faster than 95 miles per hour (152.8 km).
Behind that important reason is Juan Soto (25, San Diego Padres). Ha-seong Kim's teammate is a hitter who is expected to be traded a year before signing a free agent contract. He had a batting average of 0.275, 35 home runs, 109 RBIs, and an OPS of 0.929 this season.
Although his batting average is slightly lower than that of Bellinger, he has 9 more home runs and 12 more RBIs. Rather than simple results, Heyman found the reason in the hard contact rate. The media reports that Soto ranks third in hard hit rate this season. The media noted, “Soto would better fit the Yankees’ organizational philosophy.” Instead of bringing in Bellinger, it would be better to bring in Soto, who will be released as a free agent next year, through a trade and build a future with him.
However, the situation is a little different for Lee Jeong-hoo. The Yankees recorded a winning percentage of over here .500 with 82 wins and 80 losses in 2023, but their performance was not very competitive in the American League (AL) Eastern Division, where they compete with prominent teams. The lead with the district-leading Baltimore Orioles reached as many as 19 games.
The poor performance of the Yankees outfielders was painful. There were only three players who appeared in more than 100 games. Aaron Judge, the league's top player, played well with 37 home runs and an OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 1.019, but Oswaldo Cabrera and Isaiah Kiner-Falepa had an OPS of only 0.574 and 0.646, respectively.
Hard hits can ultimately lead to more hits and extra-base hits. Although Soto had a lower batting average compared to Bellinger, he also hit more home runs to some extent.
Bellinger is a player who must add slugging power to the team. In that respect, Soto, who is younger, is more competitive.
However, there are some differences between Lee Jeong-hoo and Bellinger. This is thanks to Lee Jung-hoo's defensive ability and sophisticated hitting skills that allow him to play not only in center field but also in the corners. Most media outlets point out Lee Jung-hoo's power, but this is why he is still highly evaluated.
On the 22nd, NJ.com, a media outlet in New York, USA, quoted Keith Law, a reporter for The Athletic, saying, "Lee Jung-hoo is the best hitter in Korea at the moment" and "(similar to Ichiro) he has excellent hand-eye coordination and hits many hard hits. . Also, his strikeout rate over the past two seasons was less than 6%.” The strikeout rate of Yankees batters was 23.9%, 10th in MLB overall, and the situation was even more serious for left-handed hitters (25.7%, 7th). Unlike Bellinger, who had 87 strikeouts this season, Lee Jung-hoo had only 23.
Due to these strengths, Lee Jung-hoo is still receiving keen interest from the Yankees. On this day, the New York Post also mentioned Lee Jung-hoo's name along with Bellinger and Soto in its forecast for the Yankees' outfield reinforcement for the new season. The media reported, “The Yankees have made inquiries about Lee Jung-hoo, but 20 teams are showing interest in Lee Jung-hoo.”
Meanwhile, Lee Jeong-hoo's advance into the big leagues is expected to accelerate. On the 24th, KBO requested the MLB Secretariat to post player Lee Jeong-hoo to 30 MLB clubs at the request of the Kiwoom Heroes club. Accordingly, the 30 MLB clubs can negotiate a contract with Lee Jeong-hoo from 8 a.m. the day after the MLB Secretariat notifies the posting (based on U.S. Eastern time) until 5 p.m. on the 30th day, and if a contract is signed, the Korean and American players The transfer fee according to the contract agreement must be paid to Kiwoom Heroes.
If a contract is not reached by the negotiation expiration date, the posting will end, and Lee Jeong-hoo will not be able to be posted until November 1 of the following year.