This past offseason, the Mets made it a priority to add depth to the team. Just before Spring Training started, they signed Ji-Man Choi to a split contract to add even more depth.
During a 2023 season marred by injuries, the 32-year-old regressed, splitting time between the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Diego Padres. Choi slashed .163/.239/.385 with six home runs and thirteen RBIs in 39 games.
Now that he’s back to full health, Choi seems determined to be in the Mets starting lineup for March 28th, 2024.
Choi’s outstanding spring
Choi was blazing hot when he started Grapefruit League play and has since cooled off. He is hitting .222/.364/.407 with four RBIs, one home run, and a.771 OPS, and he still has a respectable slash line.
The 32-year-old has also shown outstanding plate discipline by walking six times and consistently fouling off pitches.
Choi has performed admirably on defense, making a number of challenging plays appear easy. At first, he was a vacuum, easily handling every throw.
How did Choi get on the roster?
DJ Stewart and Choi are practically the only two players left on the Mets’ roster.
Ben Gamel and Luke Voit, two more non-roster invitees, have had extreme difficulty and are therefore not in the running. Players like Zack Short and Jose Iglesias, who have strong springs, simply don’t fit on the squad in terms of position.
Choi, who has advanced to the last two, has two advantages versus Stewart.
First, Stewart still has a minor-league option, but the 32-year-old has a contract opt-out date of late March. Therefore, Choi needs to secure a position on the roster if the Mets hope to maintain both.
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Their position on the diamond is the subject of the second.
Stewart is an outfielder for the Mets, and in addition to Jeff McNeil, who has extensive experience playing in the outfield, four other primary outfielders are expected to make the squad.
By providing backup primary first baseman Choi, new manager Carlos Mendoza can be more accommodating to Pete Alonso.
Choi, 32, is undoubtedly making the most of his opportunity thus far by representing the blue and orange, but only time will tell if he makes the roster outside of camp.