The SF Giants have a new star in town, and people are already excited about him. Center fielder Jung-Hoo Lee, in his very first press conference with the team since his signing was announced, has already captured the hearts of fans. But the feeling is likely mutual for Lee, who's been dreaming of playing in MLB since he was a child.
In a video posted on Facebook by KBS News, one of South Korea's main news networks, a young Lee is seen on a TV show with his elementary school team, alongside his father, who was a prominent professional player himself. When prompted, Lee shares that his dream is to play for Major League Baseball one day. In just a few months, that day will finally come.
Lee, who at 26 has long been a superstar in the KBO, has an already jeweled resume. He's a five-time Gold Glove outfielder, an award equivalent to MLB's Gold Glove, was Rookie of the Year after skipping the KBO's "farm system" entirely, and was voted league MVP in 2022. Before even making it over to MLB, he has many accomplishments to be proud of. He's widely considered the best player in the KBO, but that wasn't enough for him.
In a wonderful speech prepared for his press conference and delivered in English, not his native language, he again expressed how the Giants are helping him fulfill a lifelong dream, "Hello Giants, my name is Jung-Hoo Lee, 'Grandson of the Wind' from Korea. Thank you for helping me achieve my dream to play in MLB," he shared with the crowd. "I am here to win and will always give my best for my teammates and fans. Let's go Giants!"
He may not have taken a single at-bat in the orange and black yet, but one thing is for sure: however excited Jung-Hoo Lee is to finally experience this dream he's worked so hard for, SF Giants fans will be just as thrilled to watch him do it.
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