MLB has officially caught Jung Hoo fever.
It’s hard to recall a time when Major League Baseball dove this deep into the background and legacy of a Korean player, uncovering everything from his stats to his family lineage. Alongside the spotlight on Jung Hoo Lee, attention is now turning to Korean pro baseball, and especially to his legendary father — Jong Beom Lee, “The Son of the Wind.” The Lees are now being hailed as a legendary baseball dynasty.
In 2025, the “Grandson of the Wind” is truly sweeping through the Major Leagues.
Center fielder Jung Hoo Lee of the San Francisco Giants hails from one of the most storied families in Korean baseball history. His father, "Jong Beom Lee", was a KBO League MVP, six-time Golden Glove winner, 13-time All-Star, and two-time Korean Series MVP — renowned for his explosive speed and smooth, wind-like base running that earned him the nickname “Son of the Wind.” As a leadoff hitter, he was a force of nature.
So when Jung Hoo debuted in the KBO at just 18 years old in 2017, he was already a sensation in Korea. He not only lived up to expectations — he exceeded them. The father-son duo became the first in KBO history to both win batting titles, league MVPs, and lead the fan vote for the All-Star Game. From 2019 through 2023, Jung Hoo also led the league in jersey sales for five straight years, firmly establishing himself as a national superstar.
He was already a hero in South Korea.
But when Jung Hoo Lee signed with the San Francisco Giants ahead of the 2024 MLB season, he arrived without the global fanfare of stars like Shohei Ohtani or Yu Darvish. Yet now, the "Grandson of the Wind" is unmistakably making his presence felt on Major League Baseball’s grand stage. Hardcore seamheads knew the then-25-year-old Lee had elite plate discipline, was coming off a career-high home run season, and brought strong defensive skills to the outfield.
Still, with recent ankle surgery and a contact-oriented profile rather than raw power, the Giants’ six-year, $113 million contract with him was widely labeled as an overpay — a desperate move for a team that badly needed a dependable bat. But as the 2025 season has progressed, the narrative has shifted. People are starting to understand why, in Korea, Jung Hoo was seen as a star by birthright — and many now wonder if the Giants have finally found the superstar they’ve long been searching for.
Even Giants ace Logan Webb chimed in with praise:
“It’s just cool to see him succeed — because he’s such an amazing guy, a great teammate, and he brings a ton of energy to the team.”
Lee’s 2024 rookie season in MLB didn’t go as hoped.
Just 37 games into the year, he suffered a left shoulder injury that required season-ending surgery. He finished with an OPS of just .641, and many questioned whether his dazzling KBO career could really translate to the big leagues.
Unsurprisingly, MLB Network’s list of the Top 10 Center Fielders heading into 2025 didn’t include his name.
But 2025 has brought a true change of wind for the “Grandson of the Wind.”
Now fully healthy, Lee has emerged as one of the brightest contributors on a Giants team that’s become one of the season’s early surprises.
In the first 18 games of 2025, Lee slashed .348/.403/.652, helping lead the 13-6 Giants. Already, he’s surpassed all of his 2024 totals with
3 home runs,
10 doubles,
1 triple,
14 RBIs,
3 stolen bases.
No one doubts anymore why he's called the heir to a legacy — the Grandson of the Wind.
“It’s pretty remarkable,” said Giants manager Bob Melvin,
“when you realize he’s never faced most of these pitchers before.
That’s where his bat-to-ball skills really shine.”
Statistically, Lee has become a model of elite contact hitting, with a low whiff rate and an improved barrel rate that have turned him into not just a high-average hitter, but one with real pop. He’s aggressive on the basepaths and smooth in the outfield, covering Oracle Park’s vast center field with confidence and grace.
Jung Hoo Lee isn’t just adapting to MLB — he’s commanding attention, and now, everyone’s watching.
In San Francisco, Jung Hoo Lee is already a star.
At weekend home games, the Giants have created a special cheering section behind center field called the “Jung Hoo Crew.” Even more impressively, a group of 51 fans — matching Lee’s jersey number — have formed a fan section of their own, proudly calling themselves the “Hoo Lee Gans.” They show up in matching T-shirts and fiery wigs, cheering exclusively for their favorite center fielder.
But Lee’s true breakout moment on the national stage came on the road — at none other than Yankee Stadium. Facing former Giants ace Carlos Rodón, now pitching for the Yankees, Lee smashed a solo home run in his first at-bat. Then, in the sixth inning, he launched a go-ahead three-run homer, flipping a 1-3 deficit into a 4-3 Giants lead.
That night marked Lee’s first multi-homer game in MLB, a performance that catapulted him into the league’s OPS leaders and proved, once and for all, that the “Grandson of the Wind” had arrived —
center stage, in the heart of Major League Baseball.
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