Korey Lee

Korey Bryan Lee (born July 25, 1998) is an American professional baseball catcher for the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Houston Astros.

Korey Lee
Lee with the Sugar Land Space Cowboys in 2023
Chicago White Sox – No. 26
Catcher
Born: (1998-07-25) July 25, 1998
Vista, California, U.S.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
July 1, 2022, for the Houston Astros
MLB statistics
(through 2023 season)
Batting average.100
Home runs1
Runs batted in7
Teams
Career highlights and awards

From Vista, California, Lee attended University of California, Berkeley, where he played college baseball for the Golden Bears. He was selected by the Astros in the first round of the 2019 MLB draft, and made his MLB debut in 2022.

Amateur career

Lee attended Vista High School in Vista, California. As a senior in 2016, he hit .407 with 21 RBIs.[1] He was not drafted in the 2016 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft out of high school, and he then enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley where he played college baseball for the California Golden Bears.

In 2017, Lee's freshman season at California, he appeared in 28 games (making 18 starts), batting .277 with three RBIs.[2][3] After the season, he played in the Northwoods League.[4] As a sophomore in 2018, he played in 36 games, making 28 starts, hitting .238 with five home runs and 26 RBIs. He returned to play in the Northwoods League that summer, hitting .283 with six home runs and 44 RBIs in 57 games.[5] Lee broke out as a junior in 2019, slashing .339/.415/.613 with 15 home runs and 57 RBIs over fifty games, earning a spot on the Pac-12 First Team.[6][7]

Professional career

Houston Astros

The Houston Astros selected Lee with the 32nd overall pick of the 2019 MLB draft.[8] He signed for $1.75 million, and made his professional debut with the Tri-City ValleyCats of the Class A Short Season New York–Penn League, with whom he spent the whole season.[9][10] Over 64 games, Lee slashed .268/.359/.371 with three home runs, 28 RBIs, and eight stolen bases.[11]

Lee did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[12] To begin the 2021 season, he was assigned to the Asheville Tourists of the High-A East.[13] After slashing .330/.397/.459 with three home runs and 14 RBIs over 29 games, he was promoted to the Corpus Christi Hooks of the Double-A Central on June 14.[14] In mid-August, he was placed on the injured list with an oblique strain, and was activated in early September.[15] Over fifty games with the Hooks, Lee hit .254/.320/.443 with eight home runs and 27 RBIs.[16] After the end to Corpus Christi's season, Lee was promoted to the Sugar Land Skeeters of the Triple-A West, and played in nine games with them.[17] Lee ended the 2021 season with a combined .277/.340/.438 slash line with 11 home runs and 45 RBIs over 88 games between the three clubs.[18] He was selected to play in the Arizona Fall League for the Glendale Desert Dogs after the season.[19] He returned to Sugar Land to begin the 2022 season.[20]

On July 1, 2022, the Astros selected Lee's contract and promoted him to the major leagues.[21] He made his MLB debut that night as a pinch hitter for Martín Maldonado versus the Los Angeles Angels and was retired on a pop-up.[22] On July 4, 2022, Lee made his first major league start for the Astros against the Kansas City Royals at Minute Maid Park. Lee led Houston's offense versus the Oakland Athletics on July 10, singling off starter Cole Irvin in the fifth inning to score Jake Meyers for his first major league hit and RBI. In the seventh inning, Lee collected his first major league double and recorded two more RBIs. He completed a 3-for-4 night with three RBIs as Houston won 6–1.[23]

The Astros optioned Lee to Sugar Land on August 2, 2022. On August 23, he homered three times and drove in a career-high five to lead a 23–8 win over the Las Vegas Aviators. It was also the first multi-homer game of his professional career.[24] Before Game 6 of the 2022 World Series, the Astros replaced Yuli Gurriel, who exited Game 5 with a knee injury, on their roster with Lee.[25] The Astros defeated the Philadlphia Phillies in that game for their fourth win in the best-of-seven series to give Lee his first career World Series title.[26]

Lee was optioned to the Triple-A Sugar Land Space Cowboys to begin the 2023 season.[27]

Chicago White Sox

On July 28, 2023, Lee was traded to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for right-handed pitcher Kendall Graveman.[28][29] Lee was called up to the active roster on August 24.

See also

References
  1. Maffei, John (June 2, 2016). "Prep baseball championships preview". San Diego U-T Preps. Archived from the original on February 9, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
  2. "Cal Baseball Fall Ball Wrap". BearTerritory.net. Archived from the original on December 9, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
  3. "Korey Lee - Baseball". University of California Golden Bears Athletics.
  4. noah.fish@lee.net, NOAH FISH. "Loggers finding their consistencies". La Crosse Tribune. Archived from the original on June 4, 2019. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
  5. Tribune, SARAH WAARA La Crosse. "La Crosse Loggers: Korey Lee, teammates bond over long road trip". La Crosse Tribune. Archived from the original on February 8, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on June 4, 2019. Retrieved February 4, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. "Pac-12 announces 2019 baseball postseason honors | Pac-12". pac-12.com. Archived from the original on September 17, 2020. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
  8. Rome, Chandler (June 4, 2019). "Astros pick catcher Korey Lee to cap first round of draft". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on February 8, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
  9. "Astros sign first-round pick Korey Lee to 'under-slot' deal". Yardbarker. June 12, 2019. Archived from the original on June 13, 2019. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
  10. Wyatt, Matt (June 19, 2019). "Astros' top 2019 pick Korey Lee gets first pro hit". Chron. Archived from the original on December 4, 2020. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
  11. Price, Jimmy (November 19, 2019). "Astros MiLB Position Review: Catcher". The Crawfish Boxes. Archived from the original on May 26, 2021. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  12. "2020 Minor League Baseball Season Canceled".
  13. Steve Schaeffer (May 3, 2021). "At long last, Astros' minor leaguers ready to play ball". Houstonchronicle.com. Archived from the original on May 14, 2021. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  14. "Astros' Korey Lee: Earns promotion to Double-A". CBSSports.com. Archived from the original on June 27, 2021. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  15. "Astros' Korey Lee: Lands on injured list". CBSSports.com. Archived from the original on August 19, 2021. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  16. "Astros' Korey Lee: Bumped up to Triple-A". CBSSports.com. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  17. Rome, Chandler (September 20, 2021). "Astros promote catcher prospect Korey Lee to AAA Sugar Land". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on September 21, 2021. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  18. "Astros: 5 Prospects Affected by MLB Lockout". January 24, 2022.
  19. "Arizona Fall League rosters 2021 prospect loaded". MLB.com. Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  20. "Space Cowboys Preliminary Roster Announced".
  21. Young, Matt (July 1, 2022). "Astros calling up former first-round pick Korey Lee". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  22. "Javier fans career-high 14 to lead Astros over Angels 8–1". ESPN.com. Associated Press. July 1, 2022. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  23. "Astros rookie Lee has 3 hits, 3 RBIs in 6–1 win over A's". ESPN.com. Associated Press. July 10, 2022. Retrieved July 11, 2022.
  24. Avallone, Mike (August 23, 2022). "Blast off: Astros' Lee connects for three homers". MLB.com. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  25. Snyder, Matt (November 5, 2022). "2022 World Series: Astros remove injured Yuli Gurriel from roster before Game 6". CBSSports.com. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  26. Rome, Chandler (November 5, 2022). "Undisputed: 'It proves we're the best team in baseball ... They have nothing to say now.'". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  27. "Astros' Korey Lee: Doesn't make roster". cbssports.com. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
  28. "Astros reunite with Graveman in trade with Chicago". MLB.com. July 28, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  29. Rogers, Jesse (July 28, 2023). "Astros acquire Kendall Graveman in trade with White Sox". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
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