In their search for an answer at designated hitter, the Mets signed Ji-Man Choi to a split contract worth up to $3.5 million with the intent of having him compete for the role and simultaneously provide insurance at first base as well. He’s been a reliable hitter throughout his career, posting an OPS+ above 100 every year from 2017 to 2022. The team appears confident that Choi can tap back into his skill set after a down 2023 campaign, which would help reinforce the lineup and add a proven commodity to the mix.
Choi was originally signed by the Mariners as a free agent in 2009. He never played in a major league game with the club and was granted free agency after the 2015 season, when he joined the Orioles organization. The Angels then selected Choi from the Orioles in the Rule 5 draft that same offseason and he would go on to make his major league debut with the club in 2016, hitting .170/.271/.339 in 129 plate appearances that year before being designated for assignment.
Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized
He was signed by the Yankees ahead of the 2017 campaign and later joined the Brewers in 2018. Milwaukee traded him to Tampa Bay in June of that season and the rest was history, as he went on to spend parts of five seasons with the club and slashed .245/.352/.431 during his time there.
2023 was a bit of a disappointment for Choi. He was traded to the Pirates in November of 2022 and never found his footing in the Steel City. First, the Pirates would not allow him to play in the World Baseball Classic for Korea after filing a medical objection that prevented his participation after he underwent elbow surgery in the offseason. He also dealt with an Achilles strain at the start of the regular season that sidelined him for nearly three months. He was then dealt to the Padres at the trade deadline where he suffered a ribcage strain and a Lisfranc fracture. Ultimately, he hit .163/.239/.385 last year over 39 games with a 68 OPS+.
The Mets are hoping to get the 2022 version of Choi. He became quite popular and garnered attention in April of that season, hitting .357/.491/.595. He collected a total of six extra-base hits while walking 11 times during that span. That year, according to Baseball Savant, he finished in the 93rd percentile for average exit velocity, 96th percentile for chase rate, 96th percentile for walk rate, and 88th percentile for hard-hit rate.
This spring is a chance for Choi to reestablish himself and earn a role in the majors next season, whether for the Mets or someone else. He’s been a solid hitter throughout his career, though the Mets appear to be focused on using Mark Vientos as their primary DH. Choi has quite a bit of competition to make the Opening Day roster, but a strong spring from Choi could force the Mets to rethink their plans.
