A lot of the offseason buzz surrounding the Mets has centered on their pursuits of pitching, however USA At present’s Bob Nightengale stories that the Amazins even have “sturdy curiosity” in outfielder Jung Hoo Lee. Between New York’s identified curiosity in Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shota Imanaga, and now Lee, it’s clear that the Mets are taking a very exhausting have a look at the abroad market as an avenue so as to add expertise to the roster.
Although David Stearns is now accountable for the Mets’ entrance workplace, the worldwide market isn’t precisely a brand new course for the membership, contemplating that Kodai Senga was signed to a five-year, $75M deal simply final offseason. That deal is trying like a clever funding contemplating Senga’s success in his first MLB season, and including any of Lee, Yamamoto, or Imanaga can be an intriguing improve over the long run. This matches with the overall evaluation that the Mets are extra centered on 2025 because the goal date for his or her true return to championship rivalry, although the staff nonetheless needs to attain some on-field success within the coming season.
Lee is anticipated to be posted by the KBO League’s Kiwoom Heroes any day now, and as soon as he formally hits the market, the Mets and different groups could have 30 days to succeed in a contract with the 25-year-old outfielder. If no deal is reached, Lee will return to the Heroes for the 2024 KBO season and have to attend till subsequent offseason to hunt out a Main League deal, but there appears to be sufficient curiosity in his providers now that Lee will very possible be making his massive league debut in 2024. MLB Commerce Rumors projected a five-year, $50M deal for Lee, and ranked him fifteenth on our listing of the offseason’s prime 50 free brokers.
The Mets be part of the Yankees, Giants, and Padres as identified suitors for Lee’s providers, although the New York Publish’s Jon Heyman estimates that round 20 groups have some stage of curiosity in Lee. Naturally, proprietor Steve Cohen’s willingness to spend offers the Mets some stage of monetary benefit over a variety of suitors, and it may additionally assist the Amazins that their total offseason focus is a bit more narrowed than most big-market groups. Whereas golf equipment just like the Giants, Yankees, or Dodgers are broadly “in on everybody” as a matter of due diligence, the Mets’ prioritization of the 2025 season has reportedly made them much less considering many commerce targets solely underneath contract for the 2024 marketing campaign (i.e. Juan Soto, Corbin Burnes, Tyler Glasnow, or Shane Bieber).
Lee was the KBO’s MVP in 2022 and is a five-time winner of their Gold Glove Award for his outfield work (primarily as a middle fielder). His 2023 season was prematurely led to July as a result of ankle surgical procedure, although there aren’t any identified problems stopping Lee from being totally match for the beginning of Spring Coaching. With a .340/.407/.491 slash line over 3947 profession plate appearances for the Heroes, Lee has been greater than a match for KBO pitching, although gauging how that may translate in opposition to the upper caliber of MLB pitching is the massive query for any place participant coming from the hitter-friendly KBO League.
Evaluators have some issues over Lee’s defensive future and if he can generate sufficient energy to be a real top-tier Main League hitter, although there could be an honest expertise ground in place if Lee is “solely” a excessive common/OBP kind of batter who’s greater than succesful in left area. Sliding Lee into the Mets’ left-field emptiness makes for a very simple match, and Lee may additionally get time up the center if Brandon Nimmo was moved to left area. Public defensive metrics have been combined at greatest over Nimmo’s heart area glovework through the years, so even when Lee is probably not a positive factor on the place, he would possibly signify at the very least a short-term defensive improve over Nimmo.
