Stunner: Orioles Have a Golden Opportunity to Sign an Exceptional Outfielder

 

If the Baltimore Orioles are interested in outfielder Jung Hoo Lee, they will soon get the opportunity to speak with him.

Although the Baltimore Orioles are unlikely to make a move for Korean outfielder Jung Hoo Lee, observing how the rest of the league pursues him may help the Orioles calibrate their own free-agent efforts.

This weekend, the league learned of Lee’s posting schedule.

According to various reports, he will be available for MLB teams to pursue in early December. All 30 clubs would then be able to take a swing at Lee, who plays for the Kiwoom Heroes in the Korean Baseball Organization.

The Orioles may have made an inquiry about Lee, a great contact hitter with an above-average glove. According to the New York Post, at least 20 teams are likely to be interested, with the San Diego Padres, New York Yankees, and San Francisco Giants being the most prominent.

However, unless the Orioles make moves, such as trading veteran Anthony Santander, who is approaching his final year of arbitration and may earn $14 million, the Orioles appear set in the outfield.

Along with Santander, there are Austin Hays and Cedric Mullins, as well as two of the top outfield prospects in the Majors, Colton Cowser and Heston Kjerstad, waiting in the wings.

If the Orioles are interested, they will have only 30 days from the time he is posted from the KBO to reach an agreement. Once posted, Japanese stars Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shota Imagana have 45 days.

Lee has been a member of the KBO since he was 18 years old. He worked for Nexen for two years before joining Kiwoom. He’s been a remarkably steady hitter in the KBO, batting over.300 in each of his seven seasons and accumulating a lifetime batting average of.340.

He’s hardly a power hitter — his career high is 23 home runs in 2022 — but during the previous five seasons, he’s drawn more walks than strikeouts.

He has a.992 fielding percentage in the outfield. Due to ankle surgery, he also missed the second half of the 2023 season.