Top 50 Prospects: #40 – Hak-Ju Lee
#40 Hak-Ju Lee
Tampa Bay Rays
DOB: 11/4/1990
Previous Rank: N/R
ETA: 2013
Lee was signed as an 18-year-old out of South Korea and was sent to Tampa from the Cubs in the Matt Garza deal. He likely will prove to be the most valuable chip that was traded in that deal except for maybe Garza himself. Lee is an exceptional fielder, arguably the best shortstop in the Minors today in terms of what he is capable of in the field. He has phenomenal range and a plus arm with outstanding instincts and feel for the position. His bat is behind and he will never provide the thump to be the consistent all-star that some other shortstop prospects likely will.
Lee is going to approach a .300 average in at least a season or two. In 2011 across two stops including 100 at-bats in the Southern League with Montgomery, Lee posted a .292/.365/.416 slash line with 33 swipes and 37 XBH’s. He will probably never approach a 20-bomb Major League season, but he runs well and can stretch for a handful of extra bags each year beyond a replacement level guy.
Year | Age | Tm | Lg | Lev | Aff | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2009 | 18 | Boise | NORW | A- | CHC | 68 | 304 | 264 | 56 | 87 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 33 | 25 | 8 | .330 |
2010 | 19 | Peoria | MIDW | A | CHC | 122 | 551 | 485 | 85 | 137 | 22 | 4 | 1 | 40 | 32 | 7 | .282 |
2011 | 20 | 2 Teams | 2 Lgs | A+-AA | TBR | 121 | 568 | 500 | 98 | 146 | 17 | 15 | 5 | 30 | 33 | 16 | .292 |
2011 | 20 | Charlotte | FLOR | A+ | TBR | 97 | 454 | 400 | 82 | 127 | 16 | 11 | 4 | 23 | 28 | 14 | .318 |
2011 | 20 | Montgomery | SOUL | AA | TBR | 24 | 114 | 100 | 16 | 19 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 2 | .190 |
3 Seasons | 311 | 1423 | 1249 | 239 | 370 | 53 | 21 | 8 | 103 | 90 | 31 | .296 |
Year | Age | Tm | Lg | Lev | Aff | G | PA | AB | HR | RBI | BB | SO | TB | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2009 | 18 | Boise | NORW | A- | CHC | 68 | 304 | 264 | 2 | 33 | 31 | 50 | .330 | .399 | .420 | .820 | 111 |
2010 | 19 | Peoria | MIDW | A | CHC | 122 | 551 | 485 | 1 | 40 | 49 | 86 | .282 | .354 | .351 | .704 | 170 |
2011 | 20 | 2 Teams | 2 Lgs | A+-AA | TBR | 121 | 568 | 500 | 5 | 30 | 53 | 94 | .292 | .365 | .416 | .781 | 208 |
2011 | 20 | Charlotte | FLOR | A+ | TBR | 97 | 454 | 400 | 4 | 23 | 42 | 72 | .318 | .389 | .443 | .832 | 177 |
2011 | 20 | Montgomery | SOUL | AA | TBR | 24 | 114 | 100 | 1 | 7 | 11 | 22 | .190 | .272 | .310 | .582 | 31 |
3 Seasons | 311 | 1423 | 1249 | 8 | 103 | 133 | 230 | .296 | .368 | .392 | .760 | 489 |
Year | Age | Tm | Lg | Lev | Aff | G | Ch | PO | A | E | DP | Fld% | RF/G | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2009 | 18 | Boise | NORW | A- | CHC | SS | 61 | 334 | 92 | 215 | 27 | 35 | .919 | 5.03 |
2010 | 19 | Peoria | MIDW | A | CHC | SS | 118 | 561 | 178 | 349 | 34 | 73 | .939 | 4.47 |
2011 | 20 | 2 Teams | 2 Lgs | A+-AA | TBR | SS | 118 | 542 | 172 | 352 | 18 | 62 | .967 | 4.44 |
2011 | 20 | Charlotte | FLOR | A+ | TBR | SS | 94 | 444 | 141 | 287 | 16 | 55 | .964 | 4.55 |
2011 | 20 | Charlotte | FLOR | A+ | TBR | DH | 3 | 0.00 | ||||||
2011 | 20 | Montgomery | SOUL | AA | TBR | SS | 24 | 98 | 31 | 65 | 2 | 7 | .980 | 4.00 |
3 Seasons | 300 | 1437 | 442 | 916 | 79 | 170 | .945 | 4.53 | ||||||
SS (3 seasons) | SS | 297 | 1437 | 442 | 916 | 79 | 170 | .945 | 4.57 | |||||
DH (1 season) | DH | 3 | 0.00 |
We expect Lee to begin 2012 as a 21-year-old shortstop in Double-A with a chance to reach the Show later in the season or open the 2013 season as the starter at Tropicana. If we’ve learned anything, though, it’s that Tampa is more than willing to be aggressive with promotions especially in years in which they are in contention. We expect Tampa to be very competitive in 2012 too.
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