WS runner-up team, their next destination comes to mind.
Lee Jeong-hoo (25, Kiwoom Heroes), who is receiving a lot of attention this major league offseason, was mentioned as a candidate for recruitment by the 2023 World Series runner-up Arizona Diamondbacks.
American media outlet MLB Trade Rumors paid attention to Arizona's 2024 season roster and offseason moves on the 3rd (Korean time).
Arizona sought to win its second World Series since winning in 2001, but lost all three home games to the Texas Rangers and finished in second place with 1 win and 4 losses. The outfield, lacking Ruardes Gurriel Jr. (30), was one of the concerns facing Arizona. This season, the outfield consisting of Corbin Carroll (left fielder), Alec Thomas (center fielder), and Gurriel Jr. was one of Arizona's main weapons. In particular, Carroll, who was directly selected and trained as the 16th overall pick in the first round in the 2019 rookie draft, was ranked first in the National League Rookie of the Year by recording a batting average of 0.285, 25 home runs, 76 RBI, 116 runs, 54 stolen bases, and an OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.868 in 155 games this year. It was considered
It was not without weaknesses. Jake McCarthy, who was given the opportunity first, struggled in the minor leagues with a batting average of 0.243 and OPS of 0.644 in 99 games, and Thomas also failed to show off as a prospect with a batting average of 0.230 and OPS of 0.644 in 125 games. What alleviated that disappointment was Gurriel Jr., who came over through a 1-2 trade with the Toronto Blue Jays before the season. Gurriel Jr. complemented the offensive side with a batting average of 0.261, 24 home runs, 82 RBIs, 65 runs, and an OPS of 0.772 in 145 games. He also had a defensive metric of +14 in DRS over 778 innings, and was also close to league average in Statcast, which helped him advance to the World Series.
However, Arizona's worries began again as Gurriel Jr.'s salary adjustment period ended this year and he became a free agent. MLB Trade Rumors said, “Arizona must decide whether to try to sign Gurriel Jr. to a multi-year contract. Gurriel Jr. has a bWAR (Baseball-Reference Wins Above Replacement) of 3, which would typically result in a WAR between 2 and 3. “He is one of the players who can play. The contract period is expected to be 3-4 years and worth $116 million,” he said. “If it is not Gurriel, we will look for a corner outfielder from outside.”
Lee Jeong-hoo was mentioned as one of the alternatives. Arizona recently signed long-term contracts with Carroll and Ketel Marte, and has to adjust the salaries of key players such as 'fourth hitter' Christian Walker, 'ace' Jack Gallen, and 'sure-winners' Kevin Ginkel-Paul Seaworld, making it difficult to sign mega-sized contracts. There is a burden. For this reason, it was expected that Cody Bellinger (Chicago Cubs), who was considered the best fielder for sale in this free agent market, would not be considered. In the media's opinion, Lee Jung-hoo was ranked 3rd among outfielders in this free agent market.
MLB Trade Rumors said, "Excluding Bellinger, the best outfield free agent is Teoscar Hernández. He is eligible for a qualifying offer, consumes draft picks, and can sign a four-year contract." Gurriel Jr. said, "Jorge Solaire (Miami) Marlins) and KBO League star Lee Jung-hoo are next,” he explained.
The high expectations for Lee Jeong-hoo can be seen just by looking at the performance of the players compared to him. Solaire is known as a slugger in the major leagues with a total of 170 home runs, including 48 home runs in 2019. This year, he boasted a batting average above the league average, with a batting average of 0.250, 36 home runs, 75 RBI, 77 runs, and an OPS of 0.853 in 137 games. If you recall that in the United States, Lee Jeong-hoo is evaluated as a player whose slugging power is lacking, you can get an idea of how high this evaluation is. This is because home run hitters are generally evaluated more highly than hitters with excellent contact tools, and there is a lot of skepticism about the contact tools of Asian players.
Columnist Jim Borden, a former major league general manager, recently evaluated Jeong-hoo Lee as a free agent and said, "The opinions of major league scouts are divided regarding his batting tools. Some believe that Jeong-hoo Lee will hit as soon as he steps into the major league batter's box, but others believe that he will hit a hit as soon as he steps up to the plate." "I expect it will take at least one to two years to adapt to being a big league pitcher. Another side believes that Lee Jeong-hoo will become a hitter with a batting average of 0.270, while the other side imagines that he can become a hitter with a batting average of 0.300," he said. It was rated low at 37th place.
Major League Baseball website MLB.com also introduced KBO and Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) stars who will soon be seen in the Major League on the 3rd, saying, "Considering the relative lack of top hitters that can be recruited in this Major League FA market, "Lee Jung-hoo is an interesting option in the major leagues. He mainly plays center field in the KBO League and hit a career-high 23 home runs last year," he said, explaining that he is not a home run hitter.
Until now, Arizona was not a team that was often mentioned as Lee Jung-hoo's next destination. The San Francisco Giants, who dispatched general manager Pete Putilla to Korea and showed consistent interest starting from the Arizona camp, were mentioned the most. The San Diego Padres, with Kim Ha-seong, and the New York Yankees, who are in need of an outfield, followed San Francisco's lead.
The most recent mentions were the Cleveland Guardians, Toronto Blue Jays, and Detroit Tigers (Boden), and MLB.com said, "Because the KBO League's postseason is still in progress, Lee Jeong-hoo's official posting is at least two weeks away. St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, San Diego." “The Padres and San Francisco are among the clubs expected to find an impactful outfielder,” he said, showing that he did not deviate much from previous expectations.
However, Arizona was also one of the clubs that frequently watched Lee Jeong-hoo. As of the end of September this year, Arizona had dispatched scouts to Kiwoom's home stadium, Gocheok Sky Dome, nine times, making it one of the top five major league teams. This year's record of successfully advancing to the World Series, led by players it has personally raised, is also a reason why bold investment can be expected from Arizona.
MLB Trade Rumors said, "No one in Arizona's front office wanted to end this year with a championship win. Their relatively surprising postseason performance reinforced the idea that Arizona is in a position where it should be a win-now." He said.
“They will be challenged by their more expensive National League West rivals,” he said. “Arizona is no longer a new team, and from now on they will have to prove that they have the staying power to challenge for the title.” He predicted Arizona’s bold move, saying, “I will step up to the plate.”