Zack Minasian and the Giants' Vision for Jung Hoo Lee: A Promising Future Ahead

While former Giants general manager Pete Putila was the visible face of last year's efforts in South Korea, it was Zack Minasian who played an equally crucial role in securing a deal with Jung Hoo Lee. As the organization's vice president of pro scouting before following Putila as GM, Minasian spearheaded the Giants' pursuit of international stars like Lee and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

During his visit to South Korea, Minasian was impressed by Lee’s blend of speed, base running acumen, power, and bat control. Yet, what stood out most was Lee's evident joy in playing the game. "I gravitated towards how much he liked playing," Minasian shared on the Giants Talk podcast. "To watch the fan base go crazy for him daily was fun to watch. I love seeing energy up the middle, so when you have a center fielder, a shortstop, a catcher—those players that have a presence—it tends to spill over to the rest of your positional players. I think that's what he brings."

Unfortunately, the Giants didn’t get to fully experience Lee’s potential last season due to a shoulder injury that sidelined him just 37 games into his debut. Despite this setback, the Giants remain optimistic that Lee's 2025 season will not be affected. Minasian confirmed this, stating, "Everything is going great. He's starting to swing soon and is feeling healthy. He's going to have a normal offseason, and we're just looking forward to seeing him in spring training."

Lee is expected to be pivotal as Buster Posey and Minasian aim to turn the team around quickly. The hope when Lee signed last December was that he would excel as a leadoff hitter and center fielder. While his rookie season was nearly wiped out by a collision with the center field wall at Oracle Park, Lee made the best of his situation by attacking the rehab process and using the time to adjust to Major League Baseball and life in the United States.

In late September, Lee noted that adjusting to the time difference between San Francisco and his home country was one of the biggest challenges. On the field, the quality of pitching stood out to him during his first month in the lineup. Despite these challenges, Lee used his time in the dugout to acclimate to MLB by closely observing the games and imagining himself in the outfield.

"Just watching a lot of games in the dugout helps you naturally get the feel of Major League Baseball," Lee said through interpreter Justin Han. "I would always put myself in the same situation as the outfielders and think to myself, what would I have done if I was in that kind of situation?"

The Giants have no concerns about Lee's shoulder, and they are clear about his role. They view him as a top-of-the-order threat and enter the offseason confident about their center field position. Minasian mentioned that the front office remains open-minded about additional outfield acquisitions. Still, with Lee, Heliot Ramos, and Mike Yastrzemski (assuming he is tendered a contract), they feel confident in their options.

While Ramos emerged as the breakout outfielder in 2024, the expectation is that next season will be Lee's turn to shine. Minasian, who took long flights to scout Lee, is confident that better days are ahead. "Something else from getting to know him last year was how much he took to our city, our ballpark, the organization, and just really seemed like he enjoyed every day and considered it a privilege to be a Giant, which I think is great," he said. "I certainly feel like it's a privilege, and to see our players feel that way is something I'm proud of."

​As the Giants prepare for the upcoming season, all eyes will be on Jung Hoo Lee, who is poised to make a significant impact on the field and help lead the team to new heights