Lee Jung-hoo (25) won a large 'jackpot'.

Several local reporters, including New York Post columnist John Heyman and The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, announced on Nov. 13 (KST) that Lee signed with Major League Baseball's San Francisco Giants. The six-year, $113 million (KRW 14.86 billion) deal reportedly includes an opt-out clause after four years.

The KBO's top hitter is leaving for the 'big leagues'.

Lee joined the Nexen Heroes (now Kiwoom Heroes) as a first-round pick in 2017 after graduating from Humungo, and established himself as a starter in his first year. As a rookie, he set a new record for most hits by a rookie with 179, and was named Rookie of the Year. He continued to improve every year after that. He consistently hit over 150 hits every year, becoming one of the KBO's best shift-hitters, and in 2020, he showed his power with 15 home runs.

In 2021, he hit for the first time in his career with a 3-for-6 batting average. He joined his father, former LG coach Lee Jong-beom, as the world's first father-son batting champions.

After reaching his peak, Lee decided to challenge the major leagues. "I want to play on a bigger stage," he said, as the posting system allows him to sign with a major league team after the 2023 season. He teamed up with Scott Boras, aka the Devil's Agent, to make the move.

This season, there was a big change. On July 22, he was showing promise with a three-hit game against Lotte before suffering an ankle injury that ruled him out for the season. On October 10, he played one at-bat against Samsung Electronics, but it was to say hello to a Kiwoom fan.

Despite not being at 100%, Lee's value hasn't changed.

The $113 million deal is the highest ever for a Korean, surpassing the contracts of Ryu Hyun-jin (six years, $36 million) and Kim Ha-seong (four years, $28 million). It is also the highest ever for an Asian player, surpassing the five-year, $90 million deal for Japanese slugger Masataka Yoshida (Boston).

Kiwoom has traditionally been a team that actively supports the development of its players to the major leagues. Kang Jeong-ho, Park Byung-ho, and Kim Ha-seong nurtured their big league dreams with Kiwoom and made them a reality. For the "best hitter" Lee Jung-hoo, it was fate that brought him to Kium. "Kiwoom is the team that made my childhood dreams come true," says Lee. "I didn't think about the major leagues when I was in high school. I dreamed of being really good in the Korean Baseball Organization, and Kiwoom is the team that fulfilled all my dreams. 안전토토사이트 

 Even though we didn't win the championship, it gave me the confidence to pursue other goals. The team has always helped me get one step closer to my dreams," he said.Lee was hoping to create a "second Lee Jung-hoo. "It has become a tradition at Kiwoom that even after a player leaves, a good player comes along and fills his place. I believe it will happen again this time," he said.

He also recalled his last moment in the Gocheok Dome on October 10, when he wore a Kiwoom uniform. "I watched a lot of videos of the fans' cheers during the last game. I'm so grateful," he said, adding, "I'll never forget the time I played for Kiwoom until I die."

Although he's leaving the team for a new challenge, he's also looking forward to a "reunion" with Kiwoom. "I'll never forget the time I played for Kiwoom," said Lee. When I come back, I hope the team will win the championship, and I hope more players will pursue their dreams and challenge themselves."