Hao-Yu Lee

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #6 prospect in 2026
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/Mild
  
  Adjusted Grade: 40
  
  Track Record: The Phillies signed Lee out of Taiwan for $570,000 in 2021, and he was on track to potentially become the Phillies’ first Asian amateur signee to reach the majors. That goal of reaching MLB seems more likely than ever, but it won’t be with the Phillies. Detroit acquired him in the July 2023 trade that sent Michael Lorenzen to Philadelphia. After playing shortstop early in his career, Lee now splits his time equally between second and third base. The Tigers added him to the 40-man roster in November.
  
  Scouting Report: Lee has developed into a well-rounded, if utterly unflashy, infielder. He offers no plus tool on his scouting report, but he strings together professional at-bats with a solid awareness of how pitchers try to attack him. Lee’s best attributes as a hitter are his timing and bat-to-ball skills. He can be induced to chase pitches above the zone, but he makes hard contact on pitches left over the plate. He hits the ball quite hard, though his struggles to pull the ball in the air limit his home run potential. Lee has a stocky build, but he moves relatively fluidly. While he’s more serviceable than flashy as a defender, he is capable of playing average defense at second base or fringe-average at third base. His hands work well, but his reaction times are strained at third. He’s an instinctual baserunner who can swipe bases despite average speed.
  
  The Future: Lee has many of the same strengths and weaknesses as Jace Jung and Max Anderson, which leads to a bit of a logjam at Triple-A. Lee’s defense is better than either Jung or Anderson, however, and he has some defensive versatility. On a Tigers team whose lineup is getting more and more lefthanded, Lee’s ability to produce quality at-bats against lefties could help him carve out a platoon role.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 50 | Field: 45 | Arm: 45
• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #12 prospect in 2025
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/Medium.
  
  Track Record: After signing for $570,000 with the Phillies in 2021 out of Taiwan, Lee was traded to the Tigers at the trade deadline in 2023. In his first full year with the Tigers, Lee had a solid season for Double-A Erie and played in the Futures Game. His season ended a month early as he was shut down with lumbar spine inflammation.
  
  Scouting Reports: Lee is a pure and polished hitter who has some of the best contact skills in the organization. He knows the strike zone and rarely misses at pitches in the zone. Lee hits the ball hard (104 mph 90th percentile exit velocity) and has an all-fields approach, but his power is largely limited to his pull side. Defensively, Lee is limited in his range, but he’s solid at second base because he does everything else so well. He takes good angles and his excellent hands turn scalded line drives into outs. He positions himself well with a quick first step. His fringe-average arm only really works at second base, which prevents him from projecting as a multi-position utility infielder.
  
  The Future: In an organization filled with middle infielders with solid bats, Lee will have a hard time breaking through. But as one of the few righthanded-hitting second basemen, and one who is better defensively than several of the other options, he’s got a shot to carve out a role in Detroit. His lack of defensive versatility likely makes him either a semi-regular or a Triple-A option.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 45 | Run: 55 | Field: 40 | Arm: 45.
• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #12 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 50/High
  
  Track Record: No amateur player from Asia signed by the Phillies has ever reached the big leagues. Lee could become the first, although he won’t do so for Philadelphia. The Tigers acquired him in a 1-for-1 deal that sent Michael Lorenzen to the Phillies at the 2023 trade deadline. A native of Taiwan, Lee has been among the youngest players in every league where he’s played. That was once again true when he went to the Arizona Fall League in October 2023 and he held his own with a .265/.373/.367 slash line.
  
  Scouting Report: Lee’s above-average bat speed gives him the ability to hit for average with fringe-average power as well. He has a hit-over-power approach, but his sturdy frame gives hope that he’ll run into doubles and home runs as he matures. A broken hand slowed Lee in 2022, and he missed time in 2023 with a bruised knee and a quad strain. Lee is stretched at shortstop, but he’s worked hard to improve his fringy range and poor footwork. He should develop into average at second base, which is his best position. He turns the double play well and his hands and actions are fine. He’s an average runner with a solid understanding of how to steal a base.
  
  The Future: The Tigers’ biggest strength of the farm system is second basemen who can hit. Lee fits that criteria. He should be ready for Double-A, where he’ll continue to work on his footwork and range.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 60 | Power: 45 | Run: 45 | Field: 50 | Arm: 50
• 
  Ranked Philadelphia Phillies #6 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
  
  Track Record: Lee signed out of Taiwan for $500,000 in June 2021 and immediately made his pro debut in the Florida Complex League that summer. He impressed team officials with his play in instructional league and became one of the organization's most highly regarded position prospects in 2022 in his full-season debut. Lee, who missed two months with a broken hand, spent the majority of his season at Low-A Clearwater before ending the season with a nine-game stint at High-A Jersey Shore. Lee was named the best batting prospect by league managers in the Low-A Florida State League.
  
  Scouting Report: Lee has a hit-first approach at the plate, showing above-average barrel awareness and impressive bat-to-ball skills. He uses a quick, simple, line-drive swing to all fields with good extension, and he has surprising pop in his 5-foot-10, 190-pound frame. Lee recognizes breaking balls and hits well even when off time, but he still needs to develop quicker bat speed to access more power. He has below-average power now, with an average exit velocity just under 86 mph and a max exit velocity at 106.9 mph, but Lee still has room to add some strength to his frame. The Phillies tested Lee at shortstop, third base and second base in 2022, but his future home is likely at second. He's a good athlete with average speed and showed solid actions on the infield with a fringe-average arm, but improving his defense will be a continued area of focus for Lee.
  
  The Future: Lee has the above-average hit tool and instincts at the plate to profile as a bat-first second baseman, but he'll need to add a tick more power. He'll head back to High-A Jersey Shore in 2023 and could make his upper-minors debut later in the summer.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 60. Power: 40. Speed: 50. Fielding: 45. Arm: 40.
• 
  Ranked Philadelphia Phillies #27 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Lee signed for $500,000 out of Taiwan in June 2021, and it didn’t take long for him to make his U.S. debut. He appeared in nine games in the Florida Complex League, collecting eight hits in 22 at-bats (.364), with five extra-base hits. Lee then impressed members of the organization with his play at instructional league.
  
  Scouting Report: Lee is a bat-first second baseman who showed off his knack for hitting in three weeks at instructs. He has impressive bat-to-ball skills, above-average barrel awareness, plus bat speed and a good approach, projecting to be an above-average hitter in the future. He hits the ball hard for his size, and should be able to add more power as he matures, with the ability to top out around 15 home runs. He’s a good athlete and a solid-average defender at second base with a fringe-average arm, but it’ll be his bat that leads the way.
  
  The Future: After making his stateside debut quickly after signing, Lee is in line to make his full-season debut at Low-A Clearwater in 2022 as a 19-year-old.

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
  
  Track Record: Lee signed out of Taiwan for $500,000 in June 2021 and immediately made his pro debut in the Florida Complex League that summer. He impressed team officials with his play in instructional league and became one of the organization's most highly regarded position prospects in 2022 in his full-season debut. Lee, who missed two months with a broken hand, spent the majority of his season at Low-A Clearwater before ending the season with a nine-game stint at High-A Jersey Shore. Lee was named the best batting prospect by league managers in the Low-A Florida State League.
  
  Scouting Report: Lee has a hit-first approach at the plate, showing above-average barrel awareness and impressive bat-to-ball skills. He uses a quick, simple, line-drive swing to all fields with good extension, and he has surprising pop in his 5-foot-10, 190-pound frame. Lee recognizes breaking balls and hits well even when off time, but he still needs to develop quicker bat speed to access more power. He has below-average power now, with an average exit velocity just under 86 mph and a max exit velocity at 106.9 mph, but Lee still has room to add some strength to his frame. The Phillies tested Lee at shortstop, third base and second base in 2022, but his future home is likely at second. He's a good athlete with average speed and showed solid actions on the infield with a fringe-average arm, but improving his defense will be a continued area of focus for Lee.
  
  The Future: Lee has the above-average hit tool and instincts at the plate to profile as a bat-first second baseman, but he'll need to add a tick more power. He'll head back to High-A Jersey Shore in 2023 and could make his upper-minors debut later in the summer.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 60. Power: 40. Speed: 50. Fielding: 45. Arm: 40.
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
  
  Track Record: Lee signed out of Taiwan for $500,000 in June 2021 and immediately made his pro debut in the Florida Complex League that summer. He impressed team officials with his play in instructional league and became one of the organization's most highly regarded position prospects in 2022 in his full-season debut. Lee, who missed two months with a broken hand, spent the majority of his season at Low-A Clearwater before ending the season with a nine-game stint at High-A Jersey Shore. Lee was named the best batting prospect by league managers in the Low-A Florida State League.
  
  Scouting Report: Lee has a hit-first approach at the plate, showing above-average barrel awareness and impressive bat-to-ball skills. He uses a quick, simple, line-drive swing to all fields with good extension, and he has surprising pop in his 5-foot-10, 190-pound frame. Lee recognizes breaking balls and hits well even when off time, but he still needs to develop quicker bat speed to access more power. He has below-average power now, with an average exit velocity just under 86 mph and a max exit velocity at 106.9 mph, but Lee still has room to add some strength to his frame. The Phillies tested Lee at shortstop, third base and second base in 2022, but his future home is likely at second. He's a good athlete with average speed and showed solid actions on the infield with a fringe-average arm, but improving his defense will be a continued area of focus for Lee.
  
  The Future: Lee has the above-average hit tool and instincts at the plate to profile as a bat-first second baseman, but he'll need to add a tick more power. He'll head back to High-A Jersey Shore in 2023 and could make his upper-minors debut later in the summer.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 60. Power: 40. Speed: 50. Fielding: 45. Arm: 40.
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Lee signed for $500,000 out of Taiwan in June 2021, and it didn&#39t take long for him to make his U.S. debut. He appeared in nine games in the Florida Complex League, collecting eight hits in 22 at-bats (.364), with five extra-base hits. Lee then impressed members of the organization with his play at instructional league.
  
  Scouting Report: Lee is a bat-first second baseman who showed off his knack for hitting in three weeks at instructs. He has impressive bat-to-ball skills, above-average barrel awareness, plus bat speed and a good approach, projecting to be an above-average hitter in the future. He hits the ball hard for his size, and should be able to add more power as he matures, with the ability to top out around 15 home runs. He&#39s a good athlete and a solid-average defender at second base with a fringe-average arm, but it&#39ll be his bat that leads the way.
  
  The Future: After making his stateside debut quickly after signing, Lee is in line to make his full-season debut at Low-A Clearwater in 2022 as a 19-year-old.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Lee signed for $500,000 out of Taiwan in June 2021, and it didn’t take long for him to make his U.S. debut. He appeared in nine games in the Florida Complex League, collecting eight hits in 22 at-bats (.364), with five extra-base hits. Lee then impressed members of the organization with his play at instructional league.
  
  Scouting Report: Lee is a bat-first second baseman who showed off his knack for hitting in three weeks at instructs. He has impressive bat-to-ball skills, above-average barrel awareness, plus bat speed and a good approach, projecting to be an above-average hitter in the future. He hits the ball hard for his size, and should be able to add more power as he matures, with the ability to top out around 15 home runs. He’s a good athlete and a solid-average defender at second base with a fringe-average arm, but it’ll be his bat that leads the way.
  
  The Future: After making his stateside debut quickly after signing, Lee is in line to make his full-season debut at Low-A Clearwater in 2022 as a 19-year-old.