The ¡°Grandson of the Wind¡± is blowing through MLB this season.
Giants center fielder Jung Hoo Lee descends from Korean baseball royalty. His father, Jong Beom Lee, called the ¡°Son of the Wind,¡± was a Korean Baseball Organization MVP, six-time Golden Glove winner, 13-time All-Star and two-time Korean Series MVP known for the effortless, breezy speed that made him such a formidable leadoff presence.
So by the time Jung Hoo Lee debuted in the KBO at age 18 in 2017, he was already a sensation in Korea. As he lived up to his pedigree, the two Lees became the first father-son duo to lead the league in batting average, to each win MVPs and to garner the most votes for the league¡¯s All-Star Game. And the younger Lee led the KBO in jersey sales from 2019-23.
He was a hero in his homeland.
But when Jung Hoo Lee made the jump to MLB by signing with the Giants prior to the 2024 MLB season, he didn't have the same kind of hype as other international superstars.
Seamheads were aware that the then-25-year-old Lee had terrific plate discipline, had recently logged a career-high home run total and was a dynamic defender. But with Lee coming off ankle surgery and providing a profile more oriented around contact than power, the six-year, $113 million contract was widely regarded as an overpay by a Giants team desperate for a stick to stick.
Here in 2025, however, we¡¯re starting to see why people in Korea feel the ¡°Grandson of the Wind¡± was born to break through.
And we¡¯re starting to wonder if the Giants have the superstar they have long sought.
¡°It's just cool to see him [succeed],¡± Giants ace Logan Webb told reporters, ¡°because he's such an amazing guy, great teammate and brings a lot of energy.¡±
Recent seasons have been defined more by who the Giants didn¡¯t have than who they did.
They offered mega money to likely future Hall of Famer Bryce Harper, and the potential ¡°Bryce-A-Roni¡± puns practically wrote themselves.
Didn¡¯t happen. Harper went to Philly.
There was enormous hope that the enormous Aaron Judge would leave the Bronx for his native Bay Area and become a modern-day Barry Bonds-like figure for a club that hasn¡¯t even had a 30-homer hitter since Bonds.
Didn¡¯t happen. Judge returned to captain the Yankees.
There was a deal basically done with slugging shortstop Carlos Correa, who was seen as a lineup centerpiece.
Didn¡¯t happen. Correa failed the team physical.
And the Giants were aggressive in their pursuit of Shohei Ohtani, with designs on making the two-way wonder the overlord of Oracle Park.
Didn¡¯t happen. Ohtani didn¡¯t just spurn San Francisco; he twisted the knife by signing with the bitter rival Dodgers.
Whiff after whiff wore on the Giants and their fans. While a Matt Chapman extension, a recent pact with terrific shortstop Willy Adames and the retired Buster Posey¡¯s return to take over the front office are all good for the San Francisco soul, the team is still one in need of a genuine star.
In his first MLB season in 2024, Lee did not appear to qualify. He was just 37 games into his rookie year in the U.S. when he suffered a left shoulder injury that required season-ending surgery. With only a .641 OPS prior to the injury, Lee had not inspired much confidence that his KBO stardom would translate to MLB. On MLB Network¡¯s list of the top 10 center fielders going into the season, Lee was predictably nowhere to be found.
But the winds of change blow quickly, and the ¡°Grandson of the Wind¡± has seen quite a shift in this 2025 season.
He¡¯s fully healthy now. And on a Giants team that has been one of the most pleasant early surprises of the season, he has been one of the most valuable players in baseball.
Through his first 18 games of 2025, Lee hit .348 with a .403 on-base percentage and a .652 slugging percentage for the 13-6 Giants. He had already exceeded his 2024 totals with three home runs, 10 doubles, one triple, 14 RBIs and three stolen bases.
¡°It's pretty remarkable in the fact that a lot of these guys he's never faced before," manager Bob Melvin said of Lee¡¯s success. "But that's where the bat-to-ball skills come into play.¡±
With a whiff percentage in the upper echelon of MLB and a greatly improved barrel rate, Lee¡¯s looked like a candidate for a batting title, and his power has played up more than advertised. He¡¯s been aggressive on the basepaths, and he has navigated Oracle Park¡¯s large outfield expanse expertly and comfortably.
In San Francisco, Lee has already become a star. For weekend home games, the team created a special center field section for fans known as the ¡°Jung Hoo Crew.¡± Then, a group of 51 fans -- reflecting Lee¡¯s uniform number -- organically created their own specific cheering section by calling themselves the ¡°Hoo Lee Gans,¡± with matching T-shirts and fire-inspired wigs.
But Lee¡¯s national coming out party came on the road, at Yankee Stadium earlier this week, when he put San Francisco on the board in a Sunday matinee with a solo home run off former Giants All-Star Carlos Rod¨®n, then turned a 3-1 deficit into a 4-3 lead with a three-run go-ahead shot in the sixth.
Lee¡¯s first career multihomer game placed him among the MLB OPS leaders and showed he¡¯s ready for the spotlight. The ¡°Grandson of the Wind¡± has taken center stage.