Kiwoom Heroes Lee Jung-hoo plans to challenge for the major leagues with the club’s permission after this season.
Lee Jung-hoo, who has been receiving attention as the son of ‘Son of the Wind’ Lee Jong-beom, dreams of becoming a major leaguer by surpassing his father who played in Japanese professional baseball.
Coach Subero, who has served as a manager in the minor leagues in the US and is in his third season with the Hanwha Eagles this year, expected Lee Jung-hoo to enter the major leagues and succeed in the major leagues. However, he added that there is only one concern.
On the 3rd (Korean time) 스포츠토토, I met coach Subero at the Hanwha Spring Camp at Bell Bank Park in Mesa, Arizona, USA.
When asked about Lee Jung-hoo’s challenge to the major leagues and how well he thought he would work in the big leagues, he answered wholeheartedly even though he was a member of another team.
Coach Subero said, “It is good that Lee Jung-hoo is trying to challenge the major leagues with posting. He will make a career as a good player in the big leagues.”
Specifically, he listed Lee Jung-hoo’s strengths as “good player, good mind, good swing, good discipline” and said, “I will be a good player in the major leagues.”
Coach Subero said, “(Lee Jung-hoo) must learn how to exercise restraint and be patient. The major leagues are fast-paced and have many pitchers.” “But I think Lee Jung-hoo will adapt quickly. Major league clubs will understand Lee Jung-hoo and adapt. It will be faster for Lee Jung-hoo to adapt to the big league than to do it, and he will continue his big league career well.”
Director Subero, who was praising Lee Jung-hoo, mentioned one concern, saying that it was “one question.” He said, “I always ask questions to players who have been a minor league coach for a long time and have not failed since they were young and have climbed the path to success on a solid road.”
Then he explained the question. He said, “If you go up in the major leagues and go through a slump in the beginning, how will you cope? Ask how to overcome the first slump in a situation where you face the best baseball players on the best stage every day. This is also the most curious thing for Lee Jung-hoo,” he explained.
Lee Jung-hoo joined Kiwoom in 2017 and immediately from his first year, he made a big success with a 30% batting average and won the Rookie of the Year award. He has maintained a 300 batting average for six consecutive years, breaking career highs every year. Even when he came to pro, he never failed.
Last year, Lee Jung-hoo recorded a batting average of 3049, 193 hits, 23 home runs, 113 RBIs, 85 points, an on-base percentage of .421, and a slugging percentage of .575. He even won MVP of the season.
Coach Subero emphasized, “If you look at Lee Jung-hoo’s talent, he will undoubtedly succeed in the major leagues, but it is important and curious how he will deal with such a situation.”