Name: Marcus Lee Sang
Position: OF
Born: January 2, 2001
Country: United States
Bats/Throws: L/L
Height/Weight: 6’0″ 200lbs
How Acquired: Drafted in the 11th Round of the 2019 Draft by the Phillies
Signed: June 27, 2019
Bonus: $440,000
Options Remaining: 3
Rule 5 Eligible: 2023
MiLB Free Agency: 2025
Stats
Hitter Statcast
*Statcast data only available for FSL (2021-2023), AAA (2023), and isolated select games and locations.
| Year | Balls in Play | Average Exit Velocity | 90th Percentile Exit Velocity | Max Exit Velocity | Median Launch Angle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 25 | 79.3 | 98.8 | 101.6 | 13 |
| 2022 | 189 | 87.5 | 104.9 | 109.8 | 7 |
Prospect Rankings
Lee Sang made it to Reading for 25 games after being solid with Jersey Shore. He walked much more in 2023, but the strikeout rate ticked back up again and was over 30% for the season. He doesn’t hit for enough power to offset the lack of contact.
Role: Second Division Starter/Platoon Outfielder
Risk: High – Lee Sang still has a lot of development in front of him, but he has major league tools. His weaknesses against left-handed pitching could definitely be hidden in a reserve role, and if he can be a viable emergency center fielder he has a path to playing time on a big league roster.
Summary: The Phillies took two projectable high school bats overslot on Day 3 of the 2019 draft, one they sent to the Angels for Noah Syndergaard (Jadiel Sanchez), the other was Lee Sang. Lee Sang was always going to be a bit of a project, and the missed 2020 season certainly did not help. He has however, made some large strides in his time on the field. He still has too much swing and miss, and struggles against left-handed pitching. Of the hitters to spend a significant amount of time in Clearwater, he led the team in average exit velocity (87.5mph) and 90th percentile exit velocity (104.9mph). Early in the season, much of that contact was on the ground, but he began to elevate more as the season went on. He still will need to lift the ball more to fully tap into his raw power, but it was a good step forward. He is a good runner who has played some center field, but is likely more of a corner bat who can play center than a full time center fielder. He has a strong arm that has translated from throwing in the 90s off the mound in high school. There are still some developmental hurdles as Lee Sang’s contact abilities are still behind where they need to be, but there is a path to contribution with incremental improvement.
2023 Outlook: The Phillies bumped Lee Sang to Jersey Shore late, and he almost certainly dons a BlueClaws jersey to open 2023. Given where he is developmentally, it is likely he spends the majority of the season in A-ball. He is Rule 5 eligible after the season, but unless he has a breakout he won’t be a viable selection, which should allow the Phillies to give him time as opposed to rushing to a decision point.
Role: Average Regular
Risk: Extreme – Lee Sang was very raw when he entered the Phillies system before the lost year, and the missed year of development did help. He still has a long development path ahead of him.
Summary: After missing a year of development, the plan for Lee Sang looks to have been for him to spend the year in the complex, but the COVID outbreak in Clearwater forced him to the Threshers for two weeks where he struggled. A raw, two way player in high school, Lee Sang has a lot of developing still to do and it was clear the complex was where he belonged. After striking out 24 times in his first 18 games of the year, he struck out 12 times in the last 19 and started to consistently drive the ball. He is a good runner who has played all three outfield positions, and he has a strong arm as well (he was over 90mph on the mound in high school). He has good bat speed and solid power. He has the tools to be a solid player, but he is going to be slow moving through the system and it might not always be pretty along the way.
2022 Outlook: After getting a taste of Clearwater in 2021, Lee Sang likely spends the full year in low-A.
The Phillies do have some corner bats in Marcus Lee Sang, an overslot high school signing in 2019, and 2020 5th round pick Baron Radcliffe. Lee Sang is an athletic prototype right fielder who mashed in high school but wasn’t a showcase guy, so the competition level wasn’t great. He probably will take some time.
Role: Average Regular
Risk: Extreme – Lee Sang is a raw high school hitter who has not faced a ton of high level competition. He is going to take time to develop, but the raw tools give him enough impact to potentially play everyday.
Summary: The Phillies took Lee Sang with an early Day 3 pick in the 2019 draft, signing him away from a commitment to St Joes. He is raw as a hitter, and will need to refine his approach and pitch recognition. He has good raw power and a strong arm. He might have enough speed to play some center field, but the arm and power are a classic right field profile if he slows as he fills out. He is going to take some time, but he is athletic and toolsy enough to warrant attention going forward.
2020 Outlook: Depending on how he plays in Extended Spring Training (and how many outfielders the Phillies draft), Lee Sang will either be repeating the GCL or heading north to Williamsport.
Lee Sang made it to Reading for 25 games after being solid with Jersey Shore. He walked much more in 2023, but the strikeout rate ticked back up again and was over 30% for the season. He doesn’t hit for enough power to offset the lack of contact.
Role: Second Division Starter/Platoon Outfielder
Risk: High – Lee Sang still has a lot of development in front of him, but he has major league tools. His weaknesses against left-handed pitching could definitely be hidden in a reserve role, and if he can be a viable emergency center fielder he has a path to playing time on a big league roster.
Summary: The Phillies took two projectable high school bats overslot on Day 3 of the 2019 draft, one they sent to the Angels for Noah Syndergaard (Jadiel Sanchez), the other was Lee Sang. Lee Sang was always going to be a bit of a project, and the missed 2020 season certainly did not help. He has however, made some large strides in his time on the field. He still has too much swing and miss, and struggles against left-handed pitching. Of the hitters to spend a significant amount of time in Clearwater, he led the team in average exit velocity (87.5mph) and 90th percentile exit velocity (104.9mph). Early in the season, much of that contact was on the ground, but he began to elevate more as the season went on. He still will need to lift the ball more to fully tap into his raw power, but it was a good step forward. He is a good runner who has played some center field, but is likely more of a corner bat who can play center than a full time center fielder. He has a strong arm that has translated from throwing in the 90s off the mound in high school. There are still some developmental hurdles as Lee Sang’s contact abilities are still behind where they need to be, but there is a path to contribution with incremental improvement.
2023 Outlook: The Phillies bumped Lee Sang to Jersey Shore late, and he almost certainly dons a BlueClaws jersey to open 2023. Given where he is developmentally, it is likely he spends the majority of the season in A-ball. He is Rule 5 eligible after the season, but unless he has a breakout he won’t be a viable selection, which should allow the Phillies to give him time as opposed to rushing to a decision point.
Role: Average Regular
Risk: Extreme – Lee Sang was very raw when he entered the Phillies system before the lost year, and the missed year of development did help. He still has a long development path ahead of him.
Summary: After missing a year of development, the plan for Lee Sang looks to have been for him to spend the year in the complex, but the COVID outbreak in Clearwater forced him to the Threshers for two weeks where he struggled. A raw, two way player in high school, Lee Sang has a lot of developing still to do and it was clear the complex was where he belonged. After striking out 24 times in his first 18 games of the year, he struck out 12 times in the last 19 and started to consistently drive the ball. He is a good runner who has played all three outfield positions, and he has a strong arm as well (he was over 90mph on the mound in high school). He has good bat speed and solid power. He has the tools to be a solid player, but he is going to be slow moving through the system and it might not always be pretty along the way.
2022 Outlook: After getting a taste of Clearwater in 2021, Lee Sang likely spends the full year in low-A.
The Phillies do have some corner bats in Marcus Lee Sang, an overslot high school signing in 2019, and 2020 5th round pick Baron Radcliffe. Lee Sang is an athletic prototype right fielder who mashed in high school but wasn’t a showcase guy, so the competition level wasn’t great. He probably will take some time.
Role: Average Regular
Risk: Extreme – Lee Sang is a raw high school hitter who has not faced a ton of high level competition. He is going to take time to develop, but the raw tools give him enough impact to potentially play everyday.
Summary: The Phillies took Lee Sang with an early Day 3 pick in the 2019 draft, signing him away from a commitment to St Joes. He is raw as a hitter, and will need to refine his approach and pitch recognition. He has good raw power and a strong arm. He might have enough speed to play some center field, but the arm and power are a classic right field profile if he slows as he fills out. He is going to take some time, but he is athletic and toolsy enough to warrant attention going forward.
2020 Outlook: Depending on how he plays in Extended Spring Training (and how many outfielders the Phillies draft), Lee Sang will either be repeating the GCL or heading north to Williamsport.