SAN FRANCISCO -- Zack Minasian was not quite as visible as former Giants general manager Pete Putila, who showed up clearly in the videos coming out of South Korea last year, but he was just as instrumental when the Giants closed in on a deal with Jung Hoo Lee.
Before following Putila as GM, Minasian was the organization's vice president of pro scouting, putting him right at the front of the charge as the Giants chased Lee, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and other international stars. He visited South Korea and marveled at Lee's blend of speed, base running acumen, power and bat control. He also noticed something else.
"I gravitated towards how much he liked playing," Minasian said on this week's Giants Talk podcast. "To watch the fan base go crazy for him on a daily basis over there 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, I think it tends to spill over to the rest of your positional players. I think that's what he brings."
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The Giants didn't really get to experience it last season, which is part of the reason for the offseason turnover. Lee played just 37 games after signing a massive six-year contract, with a shoulder injury sidelining him the second week of May. The Giants were optimistic at the time that Lee would not have his 2025 season impacted, and Minasian said that's still the case.
"Everything is going great," he said. "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 will be crucial as Buster Posey and Minasian try to get this thing turned around quickly. The hope when Lee signed last December was that he could be a force as a leadoff hitter and center fielder, but the Giants saw only glimpses of his talent. His rookie season was nearly entirely wiped out when he crashed into the center field wall at Oracle Park, but he tried to make the best of it.
Lee attacked the rehab process and tried to use those down months to get used to not just Major League Baseball, but living in the United States. He said in late September that one of the biggest adjustments was the time difference between San Francisco and his home country. On the field, the quality of pitching stood out in his first month in the lineup.
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There's no way to fully prepare for the jump in talent level, but Lee tried to take in as much as he could as he watched from the dugout rail. In particular, he paid close attention to balls hit to the outfield at Oracle Park.
"Just watching a lot of games in the dugout helps you naturally get the feel of Major League Baseball," he 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 there's no doubt about what his role will be. They still view him as a top-of-the-order threat and they go into this offseason without any reason to think about center field. Minasian said the front office would be open-minded about outfield additions, but in Lee, Heliot Ramos and Mike Yastrzemski (assuming they tender him a contract on Friday), they feel they have three reliable options.
Ramos ended up being the breakout outfielder in 2024, but the expectation is that it will be Lee's turn next season. Minasian took some long flights to scout him, and he's confident that much 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."
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