Derrek Lee was a First Round Pick by the Padres in 1993, and he made it to their main roster four years later, playing 22 Games in 1997. The Padres had the chance to trade for pitching ace, Kevin Brown, and they gave up Lee to get him.
Lee would become Florida's starting First Baseman the year he arrived, but he struggled for two years before he broke out with a 28 HR/.281 BA year, and this would be the type of numbers that he provided the Marlins over the next three seasons. From 2001 to 2003, Lee had at least 20 Home Runs with a .270 Batting Average, which were respectable metrics. Defensively, he was also good, winning the Gold Glove in 2003.
Lee was a large part of Florida’s World Series win in 2003, and the Marlins did what they always did, jettison off their best players. He was traded to the Cubs, and with the Marlins, he blasted 129 Home Runs with a .822 OPS.
While his overall offensive numbers indicate that he should be a few spots higher, for a First Baseman, they were not up to the standard that they need to be to have an elite rank on this list.
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