New outfielder Jung Hoo Lee wastes no time in introducing himself to SF Giants fans

The SF Giants still have not won a game in the Cactus League, but there was plenty of excitement for Giants fans on Thursday. New addition Jung Hoo Lee wasted no time in introducing himself to the fanbase after blasting a home run in just his second spring training game.

New outfielder Jung Hoo Lee wastes no time in introducing himself to SF Giants fans

In Lee's first official plate appearance of the Cactus League, he snuck a ground ball through the right side of the infield. Getting that first hit is always a sigh of relief for players and takes some of the pressure off.

However, he notched a couple more firsts in his second game. On Thursday, he lead off the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks with a double to right field. He advanced to third base on a fly out by Marco Luciano but was left stranded there.

In the third inning, the KBO star laced a line drive over the right field fence for his first home run:

Lee's home run came on a 94.7-MPH four-seam fastball from Diamondbacks starter Ryne Nelson and it had an exit velocity of 109.7 MPH. There were concerns over how he would handle velocity given that KBO pitchers do not flash the same type of fastball velocity that hitters consistently see in the majors, but the first impression was positive. I should note that Statcast numbers may not be fully reliable in spring training, but provide a reference point.

That turned out to be the lone run scored by the Giants. Lee is more known for his excellent contact skills and knack for barreling up pitches, but he did occasionally flash some power in the KBO. He tallied 23 home runs in 2023 with the Kiwoom Heroes. However, he only eclipsed the 10-homer threshold twice in seven seasons with the Heroes.

The Giants hope that he can provide steady defense and set the table atop the lineup. The 25-year-old signed a six-year, $113 million pact in the offseason. The good news is that he will be in a Giants uniform for a long time. The even better news is that he is making a nice first impression. Spring training numbers do not carry much weight, but Lee is doing a nice job of building some excitement for the season.