The Los Angeles Dodgers have proven their excellence in both scouting and player development under president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, and Hyun-il Choi may very well be among the organization’s next key projects.
The 21-year-old pitcher from South Korea has demonstrated his upside at every level he’s been at in the Dodgers’ farm system so far. After an extended stint in the Arizona Rookie League in 2019, Choi moved up two levels.
He began the 2021 Minor League season with the Quakes, going 8-3 with a 3.17 ERA over 15 games (two starts). Choi was then promoted to High-A Great Lakes in August of that year, and finished the season with the Loons.
Choi was exclusively used as a starter by Great Lakes, and experienced some regression to the tune of an 0-3 record and 4.17 ERA in nine games.
During the offseason the right-hander focused on adding fastball velocity as part of his quest to reach the Majors, according to Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
“The No. 1 thing is velocity,” Choi said, identifying the goal of all his offseason and spring work this year. “I feel like I have not good enough but pretty good command and control. But I threw like 91, 92, sometimes 88, 89. I want to consistently throw 92, 93. Touch 96. I’ve just been at High-A. A lot of guys … have told me Double-A, Triple-A and the big leagues is all different. You’ve got to be better. The No. 1 thing I should better is velocity.”
Choi is getting a chance to start in the Minors, but many evaluators believe his long-term home will be in the bullpen. Choi has excellent raw stuff and fantastic control. While his run prevention numbers are not exactly sparkling, there is something to dream on.
Aside from time spent with the AZL Dodgers in 2019, Choi’s best showing to date has been with the Quakes. He posted a career-best 0.83 WHIP and averaged 10.3 strikeouts per nine innings while with Rancho Cucamonga.
Choi is technically averaging 12 strikeouts per nine this season, but that’s only due to collecting four over three innings of work in his lone start for the Loons thus far. Great Lakes placed Choi on the seven-day injured list after his first start of the 2022 Minor League season.
Choi earned Dodgers Minor League honors
Last year marked Choi’s first full Minor League season since signing with the Dodgers as an international free agent out of Seoul, South Korea, in 2018.
In 24 games (11 starts) between the Quakes and Loons, he went a combined 8-6 with a 3.55 ERA and 0.97 WHIP over 106.1 innings pitched. Choi was recognized as the Dodgers’ 2021 Branch Rickey Minor League Pitcher of the Year.
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