San Francisco 이적으로 247억원 보상금 안겨
When Lee Jung-hoo (25, Kiwoom Heroes) met with Hankyoreh last December, he said. “
For me, the Heroes were a ‘lotto’ in a way. I can only be grateful.”
Lee will now move to the US Major League Baseball with a $18.85 million (24.7 billion won) “lotto” payout to his “benefactor” club.
Although no official announcement has been made, Lee signed a six-year, $113 million (14.84 billion won) contract with the San Francisco Giants, including an opt-out clause after four years, according to U.S. media outlets on Sept. 13 (KST).
If Lee had been a free agent, the Heroes would not have received any transfer fee from San Francisco. However, Lee needs his club’s permission to move to a foreign club.
After completing seven seasons in the KBO, players can seek permission from their clubs to play overseas in the U.S., Japan, and other countries through a posting (closed competitive bidding) process.
When Lee finalizes his contract with San Francisco, he will become the sixth player to reach the major leagues through the domestic league.
If Lee had played one more year in the KBO, he would have been eligible for free agency.
However, he decided that it would be advantageous to reach the major leagues at a younger age.
Since he reached the big leagues as a post player, he will have to wear a Heroes uniform when he returns to the Korean League in the future.
