Leron Lee – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Leron Lee put together a solid eight-year run in Major League Baseball before he finally hung up his cleats in 1976. But honestly, his story didn’t stop there. The left fielder from Bakersfield, California, jumped around to four different teams during his MLB days: the St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres, Cleveland Indians, and Los Angeles Dodgers. When Lee retired from MLB in 1976, it closed out his American baseball chapter, but it actually set him up for a much bigger adventure in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball.

Lee’s MLB stats show a .250 batting average, 31 home runs, and 152 RBIs, but those numbers only scratch the surface. He had some memorable moments, like breaking up a Tom Seaver no-hit bid in 1972 and coming through in clutch situations that built his reputation as a steady outfielder. For Lee, 1976 wasn’t really an ending—it was more like a new beginning.

What really makes Lee’s journey interesting is how leaving American baseball led to wild success overseas. His choice to go abroad changed how Japanese teams looked at foreign players, setting new standards for international talent and building a legacy that lasted long after his last Dodgers game.

Early Life and Background

Leron Lee was born on March 4, 1948, in Bakersfield, California. He moved to Sacramento as a kid.

His athletic ability showed up early. Even though he got football scholarship offers from big colleges, baseball ended up winning out.

Birth and Family

Leron Lee arrived on March 4, 1948, in Bakersfield, California. He was the oldest of six kids in the Lee family.

The Lee name became well-known in Sacramento sports. His parents made sure their kids grew up with a strong athletic base, something that paid off later.

Leron’s nephew, Derrek Lee, eventually became a Major League Baseball All-Star and won a World Series. That put the Lee family on the map as one of baseball’s most successful multi-generational families.

Athleticism just seemed to run in their blood. Several Lee family members ended up playing pro sports at different levels.

Growing Up in Bakersfield

Even though he was born in Bakersfield, Leron moved to Sacramento when he was young. That move turned out to be huge for his athletic growth and future career.

Sacramento had a lively youth baseball scene. The Little League programs there really pushed for energy and pride in competition.

Lee sharpened his baseball skills in local youth leagues. People noticed his natural talent pretty early on.

The Sacramento sports community welcomed the Lee family. That support helped Leron develop as an athlete during his early years.

High School and Amateur Baseball Journey

Lee went to Grant High School in Sacramento. He starred in both football and baseball.

His football skills drew a lot of attention from college scouts. Lee received 36 football scholarship offers from big universities all over the country.

Even with all those football offers, Lee picked baseball. That choice kicked off his pro career at just 18.

The St. Louis Cardinals picked Lee as their first-round draft pick (7th overall) in the 1966 MLB June Amateur Draft. He became the first Grant High School grad to make the majors when he debuted on September 5, 1969.

MLB Career Overview

Leron Lee played eight seasons in Major League Baseball from 1969 to 1976, appearing in 614 games with a .250 career batting average. He started out with the St. Louis Cardinals and then moved through three other teams in both leagues.

Major League Debut

Lee stepped onto a big league field for the first time on September 5, 1969, with the St. Louis Cardinals at age 21. That first game was special—he was the first Grant High School grad from Sacramento to reach the majors.

The Cardinals grabbed Lee as the 7th overall pick in the first round of the 1966 amateur draft. He spent three years working his way up in the minors before finally getting the call.

In his rookie year, Lee played just 7 games. He got 23 at-bats and managed 5 hits, batting .217. That short stint gave him a taste of major league pitching.

Teams Played For

Lee suited up for four different teams during his MLB career, playing in both the National and American Leagues.

St. Louis Cardinals (1969-1971): Lee started with the Cardinals, playing 153 games over three seasons. He struggled to get regular at-bats and hit .222 with 7 home runs.

San Diego Padres (1971-1973): A mid-season trade in 1971 sent him to the Padres. He found his swing there, especially in 1972 when he hit .300 with 12 home runs and 47 RBIs in 101 games.

Cleveland Indians (1974-1975): Lee moved to the American League with Cleveland, playing 92 games across two seasons. He kept a .224 batting average during his time with the Indians.

Los Angeles Dodgers (1975-1976): Lee wrapped up his MLB career with the Dodgers, playing 71 games over two seasons before retiring after the 1976 season.

Career Highlights and Milestones

Lee’s top season came in 1972 with San Diego. That year, he hit .300 with 12 home runs, 47 RBIs, and put up a .850 OPS.

His career totals include 31 home runs and 152 RBIs in 614 games. Lee collected 404 hits and had a .307 on-base percentage over his eight years.

His best stretch happened with the San Diego Padres from 1971 to 1973. In those years, he hit .271 with 19 home runs and 98 RBIs in 298 games.

After leaving MLB in 1976, Lee took his career to Japan. From 1977-1987, he became the top hitter in Japanese baseball history with a .320 average, a record that lasted 31 years until 2018.

Performance and Career Statistics

Leron Lee finished with a .250 batting average over eight MLB seasons, knocking 31 home runs and driving in 152 runs. His best offensive numbers came while playing for the San Diego Padres from 1971 to 1973.

Batting Average and Offensive Stats

Lee’s career batting average of .250 showed he could make consistent contact throughout his career. In 1972 with San Diego, he put up his best offensive season, hitting .300 with a .353 OBP and .497 slugging.

Over his three years with the Padres, Lee batted .271—way above his career average. That was definitely his most productive time in the majors.

He posted a .307 on-base percentage and .375 slugging percentage for his career, showing decent plate discipline. Lee drew 133 walks and struck out 315 times, which was pretty reasonable for his era.

His offensive output really depended on the team. In San Diego, he averaged 107 hits per 162 games, but with Cleveland, it dropped to just 57 hits per 162 games.

Home Runs, RBI, and Notable Records

Lee hit 31 career home runs, most of them during his prime years with the Padres. In 1972, he had his best single-season total with 12 homers and 47 RBIs.

He finished with 152 career RBIs, averaging 19 per season. His career-high 47 RBIs also came in 1972, matching his best year at the plate.

During his three years in San Diego, Lee hit 19 home runs—more than half his career total. His power numbers dropped off after he left the Padres.

Lee collected 83 doubles and 13 triples in his career. He racked up 606 total bases, mostly from singles and doubles instead of home runs.

Run Production and Consistency

Lee scored 173 runs in his MLB career, averaging 28 a season. His best year was 1972 with San Diego, when he crossed the plate 50 times.

His run production changed a lot depending on the team. With the Padres, he averaged 38 runs a season, but with Cleveland and Los Angeles, it fell to just 11 runs per season.

He played in 614 games over eight seasons. From 1970 to 1973, he was most active, appearing in 444 games and piling up most of his stats during that stretch.

Lee’s offensive peak came in his mid-20s. That 1972 season, when he was 24, was clearly his best year across the board.

Significant Seasons and Memorable Games

Leron Lee’s eight years in the majors had some standout seasons that showed his steady growth as a hitter. He shined brightest with the San Diego Padres, where he hit his stride and even earned National League All-Star recognition.

Breakout Year with the San Diego Padres

Lee’s 1972 season with the San Diego Padres was the highlight of his MLB career. He batted .300 and had 34 multi-hit games, including six games with three hits.

The most unforgettable moment came on July 4, 1972. Lee broke up a no-hitter by Hall of Famer Tom Seaver in the ninth inning. That clutch hit showed he could handle the pressure.

His steady offense earned him a spot on the National League All-Star team that year. Lee’s 34 multi-hit games proved he could put together solid at-bats all season.

The Padres counted on Lee to anchor their lineup. His .300 average was a big step up from previous years and made him a legit MLB hitter.

Performance with the St. Louis Cardinals

Lee started his MLB journey with the St. Louis Cardinals, who picked him in the first round of the 1966 draft. He made his major league debut on September 5, 1969, the first Grant High School grad to reach the big leagues.

In his rookie season, Lee had 10 multi-hit games, hinting at his potential as a contact hitter. He smacked his first home run off future Hall of Famer Ferguson Jenkins, which was a pretty cool milestone.

Lee spent three years with the Cardinals from 1969 to 1971. He worked on his approach at the plate and adjusted to major league pitching during that time.

The Cardinals gave Lee his first taste of MLB and set the foundation for what he would do later with San Diego.

Contribution to the Cleveland Indians

Lee played for the Cleveland Indians for two seasons, from 1974 to 1975. He notched 13 multi-hit games with the team and kept his reputation as a steady contact hitter.

His best game with Cleveland came against the Kansas City Royals, when he hit both a home run and a grand slam, driving in all five runs in a 5-2 win.

That game showed off Lee’s power and his knack for clutch hitting. Driving in all five runs really highlighted his ability to carry the offense.

The Indians got a veteran presence and a reliable bat in Lee. His experience was a stabilizing force during his time with the team.

Final Year with the Los Angeles Dodgers

Lee ended his MLB career with the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1975 to 1976. He signed as a free agent, bringing his veteran experience to the Dodgers.

His last season in 1976 closed out his eight-year major league career. Lee finished with a .250 average, 31 home runs, and 152 RBIs in 614 games.

The Dodgers gave Lee his final shot at the big leagues. Those two seasons in Los Angeles wrapped up a respectable MLB run.

After leaving MLB, Lee took a bold step and went to play in Japan. That move ended up shaping his legacy in international baseball.

Retirement in 1976 and Life After MLB

Leron Lee retired from Major League Baseball in 1976, closing out an eight-season run across four teams. When he left MLB, he took a leap that would end up shaping his legacy and changing the way foreign players approached Japanese baseball. You can read more about his move to Japan.

Reasons for Retirement

Lee finished his last MLB season with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1976. Over eight years, he played for the St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres, Cleveland Indians, and Dodgers.

He ended up with a .250 batting average, 31 home runs, and 152 RBIs. Those numbers aren’t bad, but Lee was almost 28 and realized opportunities in the majors were drying up.

Instead of chasing another contract in the States, Lee decided to try something different. He looked to Japan, a place where most Americans only went at the tail end of their careers.

Transition to Post-MLB Career

In 1977, just a year after leaving MLB, Lee signed with the Lotte Orions in Japan’s professional league. This was a gutsy move for an American still in his prime.

Lee made an instant impact. He led the Japanese league in home runs and RBIs that first season. Clearly, heading to Japan while still at his peak turned out to be the right call.

He stuck around for 11 seasons, becoming one of the most successful foreign players in Japanese history. Lee posted a .320 lifetime batting average in Japan, which, believe it or not, is still the highest ever in that league.

Lee’s success encouraged other American players to see Japan as a real option, even when they were still in their best years. That shift changed the way foreign players thought about Japanese baseball.

Legacy in North American Baseball

When Lee left MLB in 1976, it looked like he was done with North American baseball. But his achievements in Japan actually boosted his reputation back home.

By choosing to play overseas at his peak, Lee showed other Americans that Japan could offer more than just a last-chance gig. He proved it could actually be a career boost.

After he finished playing in Japan, Lee came back to MLB as a coach. He worked as the batting coach for the Oakland Athletics in 1989, the year they won the World Series. His time in Japan gave him a unique international perspective that he brought to his coaching.

Lee’s post-1976 journey also shaped his family’s baseball story. His achievements helped put the Lee name on the baseball map, and his nephew Derrek Lee later became an MLB All-Star and World Series winner.

Legacy and Impact on Baseball

Leron Lee’s career left a mark that went way beyond his eight MLB seasons. His bold move to Japanese baseball and his role as a cultural bridge between American and Japanese baseball changed things for foreign players and influenced the game’s growth worldwide.

Influence on Future Generations

By heading to Japan in 1977 at the height of his career, Lee opened doors for a whole new wave of American players. He was the first Major Leaguer to make that jump while still in his prime, setting an example for others thinking about playing abroad.

His 11 seasons with the Lotte Orions and .320 career batting average showed that Americans could really succeed in Japanese baseball. That kind of success made people rethink how competitive Japanese baseball actually was.

Lee married a Japanese woman, which only deepened the connection between the two baseball cultures. His story even inspired the 1992 film “Mr. Baseball,” introducing Japanese baseball to a wider American audience.

Recognition in Baseball Communities

Lee still holds the Japanese career batting average record (.320) for players with at least 4,000 at-bats. Honestly, that’s pretty incredible, and no one’s topped it yet.

Both American and Japanese baseball circles respect his pioneering role. Thanks to Lee, American players started to see Japan’s leagues as a real career path.

People in both countries have recognized what he did for international baseball. His career really did bridge two baseball worlds at a time when the sport was growing globally.

Long-Term Achievements and Honors

Lee’s stats in Japan still stand out as his most lasting legacy. He hit .320 for his career, which is actually the highest average for any foreign player who met the minimum requirements in Japanese pro baseball.

The Sacramento Sports Hall of Fame inducted Lee, celebrating what he did for baseball and the fact that he was the first Grant High School graduate to make it to the majors. That honor feels special, since it highlights his professional success and his deep connection to his California roots.

Lee put up numbers in both the U.S. and Japan: 31 home runs and a .250 average over eight MLB seasons. Then he went to Japan and played 11 more seasons there. Not many players can say they’ve had such a unique international career.