Derrek Lee

Derrek Leon Lee

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 5", Weight 205 lb.
• High School: El Camino High School
• Debut April 28, 1997
• Final Game September 28, 2011
• Born September 6, 1975 in Sacramento, CA USA

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Biographical Information

Derrek Lee played fifteen years in the majors. He played in one World Series, was named to two All-Star teams and won three Gold Gloves for his play at first base. In his best year, 2005, he led the National League in hits, doubles, batting average, slugging and OPS+.

He is the son of Leon Lee and the nephew of Leron Lee, both players famous for their success in Japan.

Derrek was a first-round draft pick in the 1993 amateur draft and played five years in the minors before becoming a regular at the major league level in 1998. He went back to the minors for much of 1999 before blossoming at the major league level in 2000. He finished up hitting 100 homers in the minors.

He was traded to the Chicago Cubs on November 25, 2003 for Hee-Seop Choi, another young first baseman who failed to blossom with the Florida Marlins.

In 2005, he had a great year with the bat, hitting for a career-high .335 batting average, which was tops in the National League, and slugging 46 home runs. Unfortunately, he broke a hand early in the 2006 season and was set back considerably, although he returned to being an excellent hitter.

None of the most-similar players to Lee (by the similarity scores method) are in the Hall of Fame but include very good players like Fred Lynn, Reggie Smith and Will Clark.

He is a huge fan of the rap group Arrested Development. His nickname is "D-Lee".

Notable Achievements

• 1996 Player of the Year Southern League Memphis Chicks
• 2-time NL All-Star (2005 & 2007)
• 3-time NL Gold Glove Winner (2003, 2005 & 2007)
• NL Silver Slugger Award Winner (2005)
• NL Batting Average Leader (2005)
• NL OPS Leader (2005)
• NL Hits Leader (2005)
• NL Total Bases Leader (2005)
• NL Doubles Leader (2005)
• 20-Home Run Seasons: 9 (2000-2005 & 2007-2009)
• 30-Home Run Seasons: 4 (2003-2005 & 2009)
• 40-Home Run Seasons: 1 (2005)
• 100 RBI Seasons: 2 (2005 & 2009)
• 100 Runs Scored Seasons: 1 (2005)
• Won a World Series with the Florida Marlins in 2003

Furtehr Reading

• Adrian Garro: "The Hall of Fame Case: Derrek Lee", "Cut4", mlb.com, December 29, 2016. [1]

Related Sites

• Derrek Lee on mlb.com