San Francisco Giants sign Korean baseball star Jung Hoo Lee to six-year, $113 million deal

Another international baseball star is headed to the West Coast.

The San Francisco Giants have signed South Korean outfielder Jung Hoo Lee to a six-year, $113 million deal, a person with knowledge of the agreement told USA TODAY Sports' Bob Nightengale.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal wasn't yet official.

Lee was regarded as one of the best players in South Korea's KBO League, spending the past seven seasons with the Kiwoom Heroes. In his time with the Heroes, Lee hit for a whopping .340 average with 65 home runs, 69 stolen bases and more walks (383) than strikeouts (304). 

The 25-year-old center fielder won rookie of the year in 2017 at age 18 and also won the KBO MVP award in 2022, when he batted .349 and tallied career-highs with 23 homers and 113 RBI. In 2023, Lee played in only 86 games before an ankle injury shortened his season, but he was still a highly sought free agent this winter.

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He was also a star for the South Korean national team in the 2023 World Baseball Classic despite not advancing out of the group stages, hitting .429 in 14 at-bats with two doubles and five RBI. Lee also starred on the South Korean team that advanced to the bronze medal game of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics before losing to the Dominican Republic.

Lee's posting fee will be 20% of the first $25 million of a major league contract, including earned bonuses and options. The percentage drops to 17.5% of the next $25 million and 15% of any amount over $50 million. There would be a supplemental fee of 15% of any earned bonuses, salary escalators and exercised options.

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The signing of Lee gives San Francisco a high-profile free agent signing after they were one of the finalists in the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes before he ultimately signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Giants also missed out on Aaron Judge last offseason after he re-signed with the New York Yankees.

Signing with San Francisco means the Giants will have an everyday-player in the outfield, and someone that could be one of the most disciplined hitters in baseball.

Contributing: Bob Nightengale; Associated Press