“I got a call saying I was having a meeting (with an agent).”
Ha-seong Kim (27, San Diego Padres) told the story behind listening to the concerns of his junior Lee Jung-hoo (25, Kiwoom Heroes) while leaving for the United States at Incheon International Airport on the 27th to prepare for the new season.
After this season, Lee Jung-hoo plans to challenge the US major league with the posting system. On the 25th (Korean time), he signed a contract with Bora Corporation and began preparing to become a big leaguer in earnest. The agency headed by Scott Boras, who is famous for being the ‘Devil’s Agent’, is famous in the United States as a place to get big contracts. It is also true that the level of interest in him increases even more when it is said that he is a member of the Boras Corporation.
Lee Jung-hoo, who is new to everything, needed a place to seek advice while preparing for the major league challenge. What I found at that time was Kim Ha-seong, who was a close older brother during Kiwoom days.
After the 2020 season, Ha-seong Kim first achieved his dream by agreeing to a 4-year, $28 million contract with San Diego. His first year in the big leagues was difficult for him to adapt to, but last year he played 150 games as a starting shortstop, posting a batting average of .251 (130 hits in 517 at-bats), 11 homers, and 59 RBIs, and was evaluated to have improved. He was a finalist for the Gold Glove Award for shortstop in the National League, and was recognized for his top-notch defense in the big leagues. Based on his experience in the major leagues for two years, he told Lee Jung-hoo some helpful stories.
In the process of finalizing the agency, Lee Jung-hoo sought Kim Ha-sung’s advice. Ha-seong Kim said, “I got a call saying we were having a meeting. It must have been a time for the agency to appeal to (Lee) Jung-hoo. Jung-hoo thought he would make a good choice because (father) coach Lee Jong-beom was there. What I can say is ‘ You just have to listen carefully and choose an agent who can do it well.’ In the end, he told me that baseball is something you have to be good at.”
Lee Jung-hoo is already receiving great attention from the American media just for his performance in the KBO League. He also hears that an amount approaching or exceeding 100 million dollars (approximately 123.3 billion won) is also possible. So far, 메이저놀이터 the largest direct major league contract from the KBO was Ryu Hyun-jin (36, Toronto Blue Jays) and Los Angeles Dodgers in 2013 for 6 years and 36 million dollars (approximately 44.4 billion won).
Lee Jung-hoo boasts outstanding contact ability, recording a career batting average of 0.342 (1076 hits in 3146 at-bats) and an on-base percentage of 0.407 in the KBO League. Last year, he took first place in five categories: hits (193), batting average (0.349), on-base percentage (0.421), slugging percentage (0.575), and RBI (113), and won the regular season MVP. It is true that Major League clubs have been underestimating Asian outfielders, but Lee Jung-hoo is expected to write a new history.
Kim Ha-seong looked forward to the moment when Lee Jung-hoo will perform outstandingly this year, receive good treatment in the major leagues, and walk together on the stage of dreams.