Pittsburgh Pirates “little brother” Bae Ji-hwan, 24, had no doubt that his “big brother” Lee Jung-hoo, 25, of the Kiwoom Heroes would succeed in his quest to reach the major leagues.
Bae is coming off a successful rookie season. He returned home via Incheon International Airport on Nov. 11.
In 111 games, Bae hit .231 with two home runs, 32 RBIs, 24 doubles, and 54 runs scored. Defensively, he played all over the infield, including second base and center field.
His quick feet once shook up the major leagues. He racked up stolen bases at a frightening rate early on and was in contention to lead the league in stolen bases. Although an ankle injury cut his season short, it was a year in which he showed off his quick feet.
While Kim Ha-seong (San Diego) stole 38 bases this year, the most by a Korean player in a single season, Bae passed Choo Shin-soo (2010) for the second most by a Korean player in a single season with 22.
Now, another KBO player is on his way to the major leagues. Lee Jung-hoo. After this season, he will try to go to the United States through the posting system. He’s already considered a major free agent outfielder in the United States.
Several teams are expected to participate in the signing of Lee Jung-hoo. One of them is the San Francisco Giants. The San Francisco Giants. General manager Pete Petilla personally came to Gocheok Dome to watch Lee’s home farewell game on the 10th. When Lee took his last at-bat, he received a standing ovation.
“It’s hard to imagine him getting less than $50 million,” said the local media about Lee’s price tag.
Bae Ji-hwan is a year younger than Lee, but he will be a senior in the major leagues. He can offer some advice to Lee as he embarks on his big challenge.
Bae says, “(Lee) is already the best player in Korea. He’s earned the right to be there, so I don’t have anything to say in terms of baseball, but I think I should learn from him.” 스포츠토토
He hopes to get to the major leagues soon. ”I wish there were more Korean players in the major leagues,” Bae said, “Honestly, there are times when I feel marginalized in the major leagues. I hope (Lee) also comes to the major leagues with a good contract.”
He trains during the offseason to prepare for his second year in the big leagues. ”I think it’s a big challenge to play steadily and consistently like a big league player,” Bae said, adding, “I want to stay in the major leagues next year and play a lot of fall baseball.”