Khalil Lee
Southern Maryland Blue Crabs – No. 27
Outfielder
Born: (1998-06-26) June 26, 1998
Newark, Delaware, U.S.
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
MLB debut
May 17, 2021, for the New York Mets
MLB statistics
(through 2022 season)
Batting average.100
Home runs1
Runs batted in4
Teams

Khalil Rashad Lee (born June 26, 1998) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets.

Career

Amateur career

Lee graduated from Flint Hill School in Oakton, Virginia, where he played on their baseball team as both a pitcher and outfielder. As a senior, he pitched to a 7–0 record with a 0.33 ERA, striking out 87 in 43 innings pitched, along with batting .471 with six home runs, 23 RBIs, a .634 OBP and a .941 SLG. He was named the Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year for the state of Virginia.[1]

Kansas City Royals

Lee was committed to play baseball at Liberty University.[2] However, after he was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the third round of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft, he chose to sign with the Royals for $579,700[3] rather than attend college. The Royals chose to assign him to the Arizona League Royals as an outfielder,[4] and in 49 games, he batted .269 with six home runs, 29 RBIs, 43 runs scored, and eight triples along with an .880 OPS. He spent 2017 with the Lexington Legends and posted a .237 batting average with 17 home runs, 61 RBIs, 18 stolen bases and a .344 OBP in 121 games.[5] In a July 2017 game with the Legends, Lee set a professional baseball record for strikeouts in a single game, striking out eight times in a 21-inning game against the Delmarva Shorebirds.[6][7]

MLB.com ranked Lee as Kansas City's top prospect going into the 2018 season.[8] He began the season with the Wilmington Blue Rocks, with whom he was named a Carolina League All-Star,[9] and was promoted to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals in June. In 100 games between the two clubs, he batted .263 with six home runs and 51 RBIs.[10] He returned to Northwest Arkansas in 2019, earning Texas League All-Star honors.[11] Over 129 games, he slashed .264/.363/.372 with eight home runs, 51 RBIs, and 53 stolen bases.

He did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. On November 20, 2020, Lee was added to the 40-man roster.[12]

New York Mets

On February 10, 2021, the Royals traded Lee to the New York Mets in a three-team trade in which the Kansas City Royals acquired Andrew Benintendi and the Boston Red Sox acquired Franchy Cordero, Josh Winckowski, and three players to be named later.[13]

On May 12, 2021, Lee was promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[14] On May 15, Lee was optioned down to Triple-A without making an appearance.[15] On May 17, Lee was recalled to the majors.[16] He made his MLB debut that day as a replacement for Kevin Pillar, who left due to injury, and struck out in his only at bat.[17][18] On May 21 during a game against the Miami Marlins, Lee hit a go-ahead double off of pitcher Adam Cimber down the right field line in the top of the 12th inning, giving the Mets the lead. He collected his first big league hit and his first RBI. The Mets won the game 6-5.[19]

Lee began the 2022 season with the Triple-A Syracuse Mets. He slumped to start the season, was sent down to the High-A St. Lucie Mets for a week in May in order to work on his mechanics and thrived upon his return to Triple-A. On June 8, following injuries to Pete Alonso and Starling Marte, he was promoted to the majors.[20] On June 11, he hit his first career home run against Oliver Ortega of the Los Angeles Angels.[21] Lee’s home run proved to be his only hit of the season in 2 games for the Mets. He played in 100 games for Syracuse, slashing .211/.326/.366 with 10 home runs, 37 RBI, and 14 stolen bases.

On February 6, 2023, Lee was designated for assignment following the acquisition of Sam Coonrod.[22] On February 10, he cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Syracuse.[23] In 21 games for Syracuse, Lee struggled to a .185/.299/.323 slash line with 1 home run, 7 RBI, and 2 stolen bases. He was released by the Mets organization on May 7.[24]

Southern Maryland Blue Crabs

On June 1, 2023, Lee signed with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.[25]

Personal life

On February 1, 2023, Lee was accused by his ex-girlfriend of physical and verbal abuse. Syracuse police issued an arrest warrant for him on the charge of criminal obstruction of breathing. A lawsuit that was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York on the same day alleged he abused his former girlfriend while playing for the Triple-A Syracuse Mets in 2022.[26]

References

  1. ↑ "Virginia Baseball POY: Khalil Lee". USA TODAY High School Sports. May 24, 2016. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  2. ↑ "Royals select versatile high schooler Khalil Lee with third-round pick". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  3. ↑ "Royals 2016 MLB draft signings". Royals Review. June 20, 2016. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  4. ↑ "MLB Prospect Profile: Khalil Lee, OF, Kansas City Royals". Minor League Ball. April 27, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  5. ↑ "Khalil Lee Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  6. ↑ "July 13, 2017". milb.com. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
  7. ↑ Townsend, Mark (July 15, 2017). "Minor leaguer strikes out record eight times during 21-inning game". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
  8. ↑ "Lee leads Royals' 2018 Top 30 Prospects list". MLB.com. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  9. ↑ Gregorian, Vahe (June 28, 2018). "With a knack for the spectacular, precocious Khalil Lee is moving up rapidly in Royals system". kansascity.com. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Khalil Lee Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  11. ↑ Norris, Josh (June 15, 2019). "Lux, Carlson Power Texas League All-Stars". www.baseballamerica.com.
  12. ↑ Anthony Franco (November 23, 2020). "Royals Release Glenn Sparkman". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
  13. ↑ "Boston Red Sox send Andrew Benintendi to Kansas City Royals in 3-team deal". ESPN.com. February 10, 2021. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Mets Promote Khalil Lee, Place Albert Almora On IL". MLB Trade Rumors. May 12, 2021.
  15. ↑ "Mets Select Jake Hager, Designate Trevor Hildenberger". MLB Trade Rumors. May 15, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Mets Place Michael Conforto, Jeff McNeil On Injured List". MLB Trade Rumors. May 17, 2021.
  17. ↑ "Mets vs. Braves - Game Recap - May 17, 2021". ESPN.com. ESPN. Associated Press. May 17, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  18. ↑ "New York Mets at Atlanta Braves Box Score, May 17, 2021". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  19. ↑ "Khalil Lee's first big league hit lifts Mets in extra-innings win". MLB.com.
  20. ↑ Puma, Mike (June 9, 2022). "Khalil Lee called up by Mets after earlier demotion in minors". New York Post. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
  21. ↑ "Khalil Lee Career Home Runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
  22. ↑ "Mets' Khalil Lee: Designated for assignment". cbssports.com. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
  23. ↑ "Mets' Khalil Lee: Sent outright to Triple-A". cbssports.com. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
  24. ↑ "Transactions".
  25. ↑ "Blue Crabs Sign Former Major Leaguer". thebaynet.com. June 4, 2023. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  26. ↑ "Mets' Khalil Lee accused of assaulting, choking ex-girlfriend". nypost.com. February 2023. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
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