Major Leaguer resume Vol.67/ WBC Player’s resume Vol.53: Ji-Man Choi (Pittsburg Pirates): Major Candidate for Team Korea: “Reasonable batting form!”

Story:
Today's player's resume concerns the Pittsburg Pirates' first baseman, Ji-Man Choi. Choi is from Korea and will represent Korea in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

The KAISPO's baseball analyst commented,
"Choi is a good hitter who can make a short deft movement from starting a swing to a moment of contact. Also, he has the skill to pick up a pitched ball by using his soft wrists. As a first baseman, Choi is good at fielding, especially catching a short hop with a flexible body. He will play a vital role for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2023."

Ji-Man Choi signed with the Seattle Mariners on a minor league contract in 2010 and with the Baltimore Orioles to the agreement on November 24th, 2015. And then the Los Angeles Angels selected him with the 16th overall selection in the second round of the 2015 Rule 5 draft. He has played for the Angels, the New York Yankees, the Milwaukee Brewers, and the Tampa Bay Rays.

Choi made his major league debut in the game versus the Chicago Cubs on April 4th, 2016, appearing as a left fielder in the ninth for a defensive substitution with no plate appearances. On April 23rd against the Seattle Mariners, he singled to the center for the first hit of his career in the bottom of the seventh.

In 2019, the left-handed hitter had an excellent season with the Rays, batting .261 with 19 home runs, his career-best, 63 RBIs, his career-best in 127 games, and his career-most. In 2021, he hit .229 with 11 homers and 45 RBIs in 83 contests, marking a .348 OBP to cover the lower batting average. He had the same tendency as the 2021 season in 2022, playing 113 games.
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The 31-year-old player has recorded a batting average of .239 with 61 long balls and 225 RBI in 486 games in his seven big league seasons at the end of the 2022 season. Choi will play for the Pirates in 2023.
(MLB No.342 KAISPO No.1522)