Most of the offseason buzz surrounding the Mets has focused on their pursuits of pitching, but USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reports that the Amazins also have “strong interest” in outfielder Jung Hoo Lee. Between New York’s known interest in Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shota Imanaga, and now Lee, it is clear that the Mets are taking a particularly hard look at the overseas market as an avenue to add talent to the roster.
Though David Stearns is now in charge of the Mets’ front office, the international market isn’t exactly a new direction for the club, considering that Kodai Senga was signed to a five-year, $75MM deal just last offseason. That deal is looking like a wise investment considering Senga’s success in his first MLB season, and adding any of Lee, Yamamoto, or Imanaga would be an intriguing upgrade over the long term. This fits with the general assessment that the Mets are more focused on 2025 as the target date for their true return to championship contention, though obviously the team still wants to achieve some on-field success in the coming season.
Lee is expected to be posted by the KBO League’s Kiwoom Heroes any day now, and once he officially hits the market, the Mets and other teams will have 30 days to reach a contract with the 25-year-old outfielder. If no deal is reached, Lee would return to the Heroes for the 2024 KBO season and have to wait until next offseason to again seek out a Major League deal, yet there seems to be enough interest in his services now that Lee will very likely be making his big league debut in 2024. MLB Trade Rumors projected a five-year, $50MM deal for Lee, and ranked him 15th on our list of the offseason’s top 50 free agents.
The Mets join the Yankees, Giants, and Padres as known suitors for Lee’s services, though the New York Post’s Jon Heyman estimates that around 20 teams have some level of interest in Lee. Naturally, owner Steve Cohen’s willingness to spend gives the Mets some level of financial advantage over a lot of suitors, and it might also help the Amazins that their overall offseason focus is little more narrowed than most big-market teams. Whereas clubs like the Giants, Yankees, or Dodgers are broadly “in on everyone” as a matter of due diligence, the Mets’ prioritization of the 2025 season has reportedly made them less interested in many trade targets only under contract for the 2024 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 center fielder). His 2023 season was prematurely ended in July due to ankle surgery, though there aren’t any known complications preventing Lee from being fully fit for the start of Spring Training. With a .340/.407/.491 slash line over 3947 career plate appearances for the Heroes, Lee has been more than a match for KBO pitching, though gauging how that will translate against the higher caliber of MLB pitching is the big question for any position player coming from the hitter-friendly KBO League.
Evaluators have some concerns over Lee’s defensive future and if he can generate enough power to be a true top-tier Major League hitter, though there might be a decent talent floor in place if Lee is “only” a high average/OBP type of batter who is more than capable in left field. Sliding Lee into the Mets’ left field vacancy makes for a very easy fit, and Lee could also get time up the middle if Brandon Nimmo was moved to left field. Public defensive metrics have been mixed at best over Nimmo’s center field glovework over the years, so even if Lee is perhaps not a sure thing at the position, he might represent at least a short-term defensive upgrade over Nimmo.
who?
what?
Where?
When?
Why?
How?
Hoo Jung is he?
Stearns and the Mets are also interested in Bal Son Chin
Rumor has it that they have interest in Ho LeeFook
Grandpa, I thought we said you weren’t allowed to use the Internet unsupervised anymore
Hearing they’re also considering Sum Ting Wong.
Didn’t he kill his Father though?
Lee Young Hoo is on first.
Who?
Lee Young Hoo.
Yeah that’s what I just asked.
Hoo is on first.
Right, who’s on first?
Giants need to go get this kid ASAP
Not posted yet so won’t know for a month. I’m hoping SFG gets him but many other teams want him too. Don’t like the time line on this at all.
The one good thing about him being posted later gfan is that hopefully by then the big names will be off the board and teams will know their financial outlook better.
So many teams after both Yamamoto and Lee but I’m still imagining them in a Giants uni!
Probably most teams looking for Lee have to be in on Bellinger too. It will be interesting if he doesn’t get signed prior to Lee. Either one works for me. If they get get one it should free up some interesting trade possibilities.
Belli has an awful lot of dodger stink on him still and he could turn into a pumpkin again? Nobody even wanted him last year! A 3 or 4 year contract sure but he’s looking for much longer. Zaidi does know him well though so I’m bracing myself.
I’m excited for some trade possibilities too. After Zaidi made some crafty trades early in his tenure with the Giants (Pomeranz, Dyson, etc), he hasn’t done many lately. I’m not sure if other clubs are giving him side eye or if none of the options are ever tantalizing enough. But we could use some roster tidying up! Go get ‘em Z!
I would expect a fairly long list of teams being interested in him but maybe his ankle injury will scare off a few of the mid market teams who don’t want to spend on a posting fee for a guy who has a chance at losing some of his defensive ability at CF. Although in the case of the Giants he may very well be their best or second best outfielder regardless.
There are warning signs in Lee’s numbers that make him far from a sure thing. From what I’ve read, he’s driven and will make changes. That’s good, because I’m not sure his current hitting approach will work in MLB. It might take a season to adjust, similar to Ha-Seong Kim. Granted, the Pads starting Kim without a set position and regular playing time might have slowed his adoption.
Im thinking trading for Carlson is a better option. Same age, good pedigree, 2 years of control and no adjustment required. Probably got an mlb ready pitcher of some description to spare. I see it is less risky. Allocate the $50m coin to Shohei or Yamamoto.
Since the Mets figured out positioning in 2021, Nimmo has been a +9 OAA CF defender, and above average in each of those 3 seasons. I’d hardly call that “mixed,” even if he isn’t regarded as much better than average to slightly above, and CF defense isn’t really an area the Mets need to upgrade this offseason. They’ve got Drew Gilbert waiting in the wings, and he’s much more likely to eventually take that position over as Nimmo slides to LF in the next 2-3 seasons.
I think jett williams may take CF, and youd have nimmo jett gilbert in OF, which is why lee seems a strange fit. I figured him for the giants or angels
@Ma4170: Jett Williams is 20 and has played six games above A ball. You can’t pass up on a move now because you’re worried about positioning a kid three years from now. If they want Lee and get a good deal, they should do it and worry about Jett Williams in 2026.
Oh i think Jett is about as cant miss as an MLB regular as there is with his plate discipline, swing, speed, work ethic. Im seeing him as either on the 2025 OD roster or an early season call up, barring injury. Gilbert i think we’ll see later this year.
KBO players dont have a big track record of success, but i guess at $50-60M total, why not considering, as you both said, depth is good and who knows if both Gilbert and jett will be successful.
Ma4170: What scouting experience do you have that gives you the credibility to make that judgment?
@Blue Baron
I’ll add to what Ma4170 said. My 2 cents includes 50+ years of watching professional baseball.
Williams is a stud in mentality who competes hard.. Short-statured at 5’6″ he hasnt let that stand in his way. He might just be the next Jose Altuve, He has foot speed, bat speed, baseball instincts, bat to ball skills, great eye, good glove, pop, and is prolific base stealer.. And mature beyond his years. He’s my favorite Mets prospect and I await his call up as do many Mets fans. MLB Pipeline #78 prospect.
@Ma4170: Really hope you and @LongTimeFan1 are correct on Jett. He’s a ways away from the big leagues but you two have me excited to see him in Binghamton this year.
@rct you live in that area?
@blue qualifies me to make a judgment? Watching baseball, playing it when younger, being intelligent, being observant. Obviously not a scout, but have spent more time studying and researching players than i should given its not my job. Notice i didn’t say a star, but an mlb regular. I do think he’ll be one, but that can hinge on so many other factors. Anyway, check back w me in 2-3 years and we’ll see. Ill eat crow if i have to.
@Ma4170: it’s a bit of a drive but I try to make it to a few games there each year. Of they’ve got Gilbert and Jett there, I’ll definitely make it.
Ill be waiting to hear what you think. I have family that live in binghamton, but with owning my own business, its been so hard to get there other than for a quick weekend visit catching up.
Tidwell and clifford should hopefully be there too.
Still a decent longer term play. Even assuming 90% outcomes for Jett and drew, Lee would still make sense as a great 4th of or good 3rd.
@seanmc1983 True, but the Mets need at least one starting-caliber OFer beginning now. As for Drew Gilbert he’s got just 154 successful AA PA to his credit, and as usual the Mets are playing him all over rather than optimize his ability to play one position, just as they did (and failed) with Vientos, Baty, and Mauricio.
They can always knock 15 runs off of McNeil’s value by putting him in LF, but that still leaves Marte and Stewart faking RF. They need help now, particularly since it looks like they’re taking aim at 85 wins in 2024.
Again it was Billy Eppler, who is gone that said they’d take a step back and it was likely to convince Scherzer to waive his no trade contract.
Couldn’t most off-seasons in the history of MLB be considered a step back compared to the Mets 2023?
All relative to Cohens $ + the ny market, which is absurd.
Absurd how?
Willingness and ability to spend money relative to most other owners.
To me, that says as much about other owners as about Cohen. Maybe they’re the absurd ones.
Willingness and ability to spend money relative to what the business allows by its revenue.
Don’t kid yourself. Nobody’s outspending any revenue.
@Blue Baron
Mets owner Steve Cohen is a lifelong Mets fan and the wealthiest MLB owner. He wants to win and wants to win for the fans. He’ll do what he thinks is best to make that happen. So it involves spending and paying penalty taxes to MLB, paying for players traded away for prospects while the farm develops a sustainable source of players which is the longer term plan.. He of course has a business plan and a baseball plan to grow success but he didn’t buy the team to make money.
The bigger penalty for him for payroll over the various caps is draft pick and international signing penalties. And yes at some point he’s not going to want to throw his millions and billions away on luxury tax penalties nearing 100%, but for now he’s willing to lose money to put the team in position to compete and win year after year while his longer term plan develops.
@BlueBaron: “Don’t kid yourself. Nobody’s outspending any revenue”
lmao if you think Cohen bought the Mets in order to make money. He can and will outspend revenue if it means the Mets will be contenders. Plus on top of it, franchise valuation still increases so even if he outspends revenues, in the long run he is still making money.
Then if he’s still making money, ergo he’s not outspending revenues.
@Blue
If you’re making $1k a month, have $1,400 in expenses, and your house increases in value by $500, are you outspending revenues?
How is that relevant? This is not a finance class.
Yes, he is. Revenue is the actual money coming in each season. Future, unrealized gains he would have in a potential sale of the team are not revenues. One is realized gains (or losses if he’s outspending revenues, which is what we’re talking about here) and the other is unrealized gains.
It’s relevant because you don’t seem to understand what revenues are. @raisinsss is trying to enlighten you.
If the Mets expenses are $300 million but their revenue is $250 million, then they’ve outspent revenues and have a $50 million loss. At the same time, the value of the Mets could (made up numbers here) go up from $2 billion to $2.1 billion. Meaning Cohen would take a loss but still have the ability to sell the team and gain $50 million. But then, of course, he’d no longer have a team.
@rct: Give me a break and trust me, as an accountant with a degree in finance, I know what revenues are.
But try to be even more condescending if you can.
@davidk1979 So you’re saying a GM lied to a player, a lie that was certain to come out and badly damage the GM’s reputation—as part of an attempt to persuade Scherzer, a pitcher in significant decline to accept a trade in return for the right to buy a lone 50 FV prospect from prospect?
It’s a he!!uvan accusation. Any actual evidence?
I have him signing with the Saint Francis Giants.
Well it’s Nightengale. So you can take it to the bank.
For as many Japanese players that have come here how many do you actually remember?
Not this Korean one for sure.
He was actually born in Japan.
Great knowledge !
He is a Japanese-born Korean guy.
Exactly.
Most of them.
Ohtani and Ichiro are two of the best to ever play the game.
Well Ichiro, ohtani, Tanaka and Matsui all had good to great careers. Kaz Matsui and Shinjo were busts. Aoki had a decent career in mlb but not a star. The Mariners had some success with Ishii,Johjima and Mac Suzuki. Irabu was horrible but probably had a mental problem judging by his career after baseball. Nomo had a good career even if short. Matsuzaka and Fukudome also had a good career. Iwamura from the Rays was decent but didn’t last long. Yoshida and Seiya Suzuki have been solid so far.
What about Nomo?
Yes but whats the track record of KBO players so far?
Fukudome didn’t have a good career
Fukudome had a decent career in the US. He just wasn’t a star. And he was injured a lot.
And he put up 4.4 WAR for $48m. Not great, but not a disaster.
Terrible article. Wrong on Nimmo. Wrong on Team punting 2024. No solid insight
It’s a trade rumors site, not the Athletic.
I’m all in on Lee. Great contact hitter with great eye at plate more BBs than SOs in about 4,000 ABs. He has speed and is a versatile defensive player playing all OF.
Sign him top priority.
This guys stats compare to kim in the kbo with far less power and speed..might be a better contact guy but based on how others translate looks like best case is decent obp with 10-15 hr and less steals as he has not shown much speed at all with regard to sb..how is he a priority?
“… a five-time winner of their Gold Glove Award for his outfield work (primarily as a center fielder).”
If the HR power doesn’t translate, there’s nothing wrong with high OBP and speed, combined with some HR’s and a bunch of doubles. That’s a guy who can help a team win. And all the better if he has above average defense.
The Mets have too many left handed hitting outfielders. Stearns please concentrate on signing Yamamoto and Imanaga. The next new lefty hitter in that Outfielder should be named Gilbert or Clifford.
MLBTR staff better get ready – next week is gonna be busy!
Let’s hope so!
Tiresome reporting on Nimmos defense. Imagine these baseball writers actually watched Baseball
Nimmo is one of the better defensive center fielders in baseball now.
I agree he’s very good, but depth is an issue. Marte and Nimmo have significant injury history. This signing wouldn’t hurt.
You don’t sign any international player like this to not play him regularly
Agree. Having Nimmo move over may make sense.
Took a step back again last year if you look at the metrics… -7 DRS and 0 OAA in CF. Of course, the variance in the data shows again why we cant look at them as gospel, but thats a different debate.
Basically a near-60% ground-ball rate. Little power. Hasn’t faced much velocity. Not as good a defender as people believe. Proceed with caution.
I always say buyer beware on the Asian players. It’s not MLB and requires a different skill set as it is a different game, not all Ks and home runs.
Maybe we should learn something from that since they seem to win at the international level an awful lot.
I actually believe that the Braves should be the team all in on Jung Hoo Lee’s services. Left handed hitting outfielder who can play decent defense. I would think he’d have decent potential for the likely dollar value investment.
It Atlanta’s lineup he wouldn’t have to be a power hitter, just someone who has good bat to ball skills and plays good outfield D.
I like this kid. If the Angels do a retooling like they should he’d be a great pick up.
What player aren’t these bums interested in?
“Public defensive metrics have been mixed at best over Nimmo’s center field glovework over the years…”
FCOL—public defensive metrics have been mixed, period, over Nimmo’s CF defense.
And they have him right around average. A few runs under, a few runs over.
“with the general assessment that the Mets are more focused on 2025 as the target date for their true return to championship contention”
The problem with this plan: 2025 -not quite winning yet. Lindor, Nimmo, Diaz and… are older. Lindor-32, Nimmo-33.
Of course they will add players along the way, but used up 1,2 or even 3 years of their core.