Seoul High School junior pitcher Lee Chansol (18)안전놀이터 will wear a Boston Red Sox uniform.
The Red Sox announced the signing of Lee to a minor league contract on the 25th (KST).
Born in 2005, Lee is a junior at Woolgo High School. The 5-foot-11, 185-pound right-hander has a 6.30 ERA in 11 games, 20 innings, and three losses in the National High School Baseball League this season.
“The Red Sox have made a rare signing of a Korean high school student,” said Boston local outlet NESN. “Lee was expected to be a first-round pick in the upcoming KBO draft, but he waived his eligibility to join the Sox.”
“Lee joins Bae, Shin-Soo Choo, Chan Ho Park, and Choi in going straight to the major leagues. There is a rule that players who skip the KBO draft and sign with a major league team cannot play in the KBO for two years after being released by a major league team. “We only sign players who we think can develop quickly. That’s why the number of players is small.”
Boston saw a lot of potential in Lee. “Seoul Go’s training system is similar to that of the United States,” the media outlet said. The club made the offer with confidence that he would develop into a top player in the big leagues.”