Former MLB player Choi Ji-man to participate in KBO pre-draft workout

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, Aug. 28 (Yonhap) -- Choi Ji-man, a former major leaguer currently playing in the South Korean minor league, will participate in a pre-draft workout for the top domestic competition, his club announced Friday, a move that all but confirms the veteran's entry into next month's draft.

The Ulsan Whales of the Futures League, the feeder circuit for the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), said Choi will showcase his skills before scouts at the KBO pre-draft tryout Tuesday.

The tryout serves as an opportunity for players not currently registered with high school or university teams to make an impression on KBO scouts and improve their chances of being selected at the draft. The tryout is reserved for players in the following categories: those who played professional or amateur baseball overseas without having previously competed in the KBO, those who played for South Korean high school or university but dropped out and those who have played at least one game for a Futures League team or an independent team recognized by the KBO even without graduating from a school with a baseball team.

Choi, who signed with the Seattle Mariners out of high school in 2009 and made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut with the Los Angeles Angels in 2016, falls in the first category.

Choi's status for this year's KBO draft, set for Sept. 21, has been a topic of much discussion since he signed with the Whales in April, given his MLB track record.

In 525 games for six clubs, Choi had 67 home runs and 238 RBIs. In 2020 with the Tampa Bay Rays, Choi became the first South Korean position player to play in a World Series.

Choi himself has repeatedly said he did not want to be the main focus of the draft because teenage prospects coming out of high school deserve to take center stage.

However, even at age 35 with a recent injury history, Choi, a left-handed hitting first baseman, is widely regarded as a veteran who can still help a KBO team.

In 20 games for the Whales so far, Choi has batted .308 with a home run, seven RBIs and an on-base plus slugging of .847.

"Choi Ji-man has been playing on a consistent basis for us with his sights set on reaching the KBO," Whales manager Jang Won-jin said. "I hope he will lean on his experience to demonstrate his strengths in the tryout. We wish him all the success."