Bob Melvin envisions Jung Hoo Lee as Giants’ leadoff hitter in 2024

It's becoming clear what role Jung Hoo Lee will have on the Giants for the 2024 MLB season and beyond.

After signing a six-year, $113 million contract with San Francisco, Lee was introduced to Giants fans in a press conference last week, where president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi confirmed the team's plan for the 25-year-old to be the everyday center fielder next season.

The speedy KBO star not only will start up the middle in the outfield on Opening Day, but Giants manager Bob Melvin told The Athletic's Tim Kawakami on the latest episode of "The TK Show" that he envisions Lee batting leadoff as well.

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"As of right now, I don't see why not," Melvin told Kawakami. "I've written some lineups out since we acquired him and all of them have him leading off at this point in time and that's what he's comfortable doing and that's what he's done before. I think as of right now, for sure."

Melvin was not in attendance for Lee's press conference, but had the chance to speak with his new outfielder beforehand and is excited about the outfielder's fit with the Giants.

"I Facetimed with him right before the press conference, that's been the one day -- I've been in the Bay Area the past month -- and I couldn't make it that day, I just felt terrible about that," Melvin shared. "But Facetimed with him before that. Ton of personality there, loves being a Giant and that really resonates with me, it's going to resonate with our guys too. This is a place he wanted to be, a team he wanted to be with.

"Looks good in black and orange and really excited about having him on the team. We talked about him early in the offseason that this was a guy Farhan [Zaidi] really wanted to sign. Checks a lot of boxes for us, so it's a great start to the offseason for us."