10 KBO clubs shun Shin Il-Go infielder
MLB Challenge in the US…San Diego Drafted
A player who was rejected by 10 KBO teams has been drafted by a major league team. Choi Byung-yong, an infielder who graduated from Shin Il-Go, is the main character.
San Diego selected Choi in the 2023 Major League Baseball (MLB) First-Year Player Draft on June 11 (KST). In the United States, he is registered as B.Y. Choi.
Choi was born in 2002 and is a native of Shinil High School. The 6-foot-3 infielder played in 23 games as a junior at Shinil, batting .282 with one home run, 14 RBI, 14 runs scored, and a .774 OPS.
However, he was not selected by any of the 10 teams in the KBO Draft, so he moved to the United States to attend New Mexico Military Institute, a two-year junior college, where he continued to play baseball. He was eventually selected by San Diego in the 20th round, 611th overall, in the MLB Draft. The 20th round was the last time the Padres drafted in that order.카지노사이트
According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, “Choi was the only outfielder selected on the final day of the rookie draft. In his sophomore season, he hit 15 home runs and posted a slash line of .448/.548/.881. That was enough to get the Padres interested in the 6’3″ (190cm) infielder,” said Choi on the news of his selection.
Choi’s selection was reportedly due to his impressive performance at last month’s tryout. College players gathered at the team’s spring training facility in Arizona to showcase their skills to the best of their ability in front of scouts. Nam Gung-hoon, a scout in charge of Asia for San Diego, told The Korea Times, “I think Choi’s impressive performance at the tryout was well-received.”
Meanwhile, the team that drafted Choi is also home to Kim Ha-seong, who can play second base and shortstop with impeccable infield defense. Kim has been recognized as one of the best defenders in the majors since last season, when he was named a Gold Glove finalist. In an interview with a media outlet about his selection by San Diego, Choi expressed his desire to play on the same stage as Kim.