MLB Veteran Choi Ji-man to Participate in KBO Rookie Draft

Choi Ji-man, a former Major League Baseball slugger, is set to make a surprising move by entering the 2027 Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) rookie draft. The 35-year-old player, currently with the Ulsan Whales in the Futures League (the KBO's minor league system), is scheduled to participate in a tryout session on September 1st at the National Baseball Training Center in Goyang.

Choi's journey to professional baseball in South Korea has been notable. After graduating from Dongsan High School, he pursued a career in the U.S., signing with the Seattle Mariners in 2009. He made his MLB debut in 2016 with the Los Angeles Angels and went on to play for several other teams, including the New York Yankees, Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, and New York Mets. In 525 MLB games, he recorded a .234 batting average with 67 home runs and 238 RBIs.

Following a knee injury that led to his release from the New York Mets in June 2023, Choi served his mandatory military service as a social worker. However, due to his knee condition, he was discharged early with a Class 5 (working for the public good) status after three months. He signed with the Ulsan Whales in April of this year and has been working to regain his form, batting .308 with one home run and seven RBIs in 20 games in the Futures League as of August 27th.

The KBO draft is scheduled for September 21st. Choi's entry into the draft as a veteran player, who is considered an immediate impact talent, has sparked considerable interest. Questions remain about whether professional KBO teams will select him and, if so, in which round he might be chosen.

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Choi Ji-man has been diligently preparing for a new goal in the KBO league while gaining practical experience in Ulsan. Based on his experience and skills shown so far, I hope he fully demonstrates his strengths in the tryout.