Lee Jae-hak (baseball player)

A former South Korean professional baseball player. He played as a relief pitcher for the Doosan Bears and experienced the 2015 Korean Series championship.

Lee Jae-hak (baseball player)

Overview

Lee Jae-hak (李在學, January 3, 1990 – ) is a former South Korean baseball player whose position was pitcher. He joined the Doosan Bears in 2008 and began his professional career, primarily playing as a relief pitcher. He retired at the end of the 2020 season, posting a career record of 101 games, 7 wins, 10 losses, 8 holds, and a 4.30 earned run average.

Main content

Background and rookie years

Lee Jae-hak was born in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, and started baseball in elementary school. He stood out as a pitcher through middle and high school, and after graduating from high school he was drafted by the Doosan Bears in the 2008 rookie draft. Early in his tenure, he mainly played in the second team, spending time adapting to the professional stage. In 2009, he appeared in 10 games in the Futures League, recording 1 win, 1 loss, and a 4.15 ERA, showing potential.

First-team debut and establishing himself as a reliever

Lee made his first-team debut on May 12, 2010, in a game against the LG Twins at Jamsil Baseball Stadium as a middle reliever. He pitched one scoreless inning and earned recognition for his potential. However, he appeared in only three first-team games that year, and afterward moved back and forth between the second team and the first team while seeking opportunities.

Starting in 2012, he began to solidify his position as a relief pitcher. In particular, in 2013 he appeared in 20 games with 2 wins, 1 hold, and a 3.48 ERA, joining the team's winning group. In 2014, he appeared in 33 games and recorded 1 win, 2 losses, 3 holds, and a 5.40 ERA, somewhat struggling, but he continued his role as a left-handed reliever on the team.

2015 Korean Series championship and prime

2015 was the most memorable season for Lee. That year he appeared in 28 games, recording 1 win, 1 loss, 1 hold, and a 3.05 ERA, helping the team win the regular season championship. In particular, in the Korean Series against the Samsung Lions, he pitched in two scoreless games and contributed to earning the championship ring.

In 2016, he appeared in 18 games, recording 1 win, 1 loss, and a 4.60 ERA. However, due to frequent injuries, he often remained in the second team after the middle of the season. In 2017, he appeared in only 6 games and had to focus on injury rehabilitation.

Retirement and afterward

He returned to the first-team stage in 2018 but did not fully recover his previous form. In 2019, he appeared in 13 games with 1 loss and a 5.06 ERA. Ahead of the 2020 season, he was notified of his release by the Doosan Bears, after which he announced retirement. After retirement, it was reported that he remained in baseball to foster future players or moved into other fields. Specifically, there are records that he worked as a rehabilitation coach for the Doosan Bears' second-tier team starting in 2021.

Latest trends

As of 2024, Lee Jae-hak is known to work as a front-office employee for the Doosan Bears, participating in club operations. In 2025, he attended the Doosan Bears' home opening ceremony and met with fans. Recently, he has been participating in a mentoring program for young pitchers, passing on his experience. He has also been invited as a commentator for sports broadcasts, making occasional appearances.