Michael Blair Choice (born November 10, 1989) is an American former

professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Modern professional ...

outfielder An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to c ...

. Choice played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

(MLB) for the Oakland Athletics and Texas Rangers, and in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) for the Nexen Heroes. Choice played

college baseball College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional p ...

at the

University of Texas at Arlington The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA or UT Arlington) is a public research university in Arlington, Texas. The university was founded in 1895 and was in the Texas A&M University System for several decades until joining the University of ...

before the Athletics made him their first round draft pick in 2010. He made his MLB debut with the Athletics in 2013, and played for the Rangers in 2014 and 2015.

Amateur career

Choice attended

Mansfield Timberview High School Mansfield Timberview High School (THS) is a secondary school located in Arlington, Texas, United States. It is a Mansfield Independent School District campus. Its mascot is the wolf. Timberview High School was named an AVID National Demonstration ...

in Arlington, Texas. He played for the school's baseball team as a

catcher Catcher is a position in baseball and softball. When a batter takes their turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the ( home) umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. In addition to this primary duty, the ca ...

and

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...

. He had a .506

batting average Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic. Cricket In cricket, a player's batting average is ...

during his senior year. Though universities in the

Big 12 Conference The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference headquartered in Irving, Texas, USA. It consists of ten full-member universities. It is a member of Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for all sports. Its ...

scouted Choice, he received his only scholarship offer from the

(UTA), where he played

for the

Texas–Arlington Mavericks The UT Arlington Mavericks (abbreviated UT Arlington, UTA, and Mavs) are the athletic teams that represent the University of Texas at Arlington in Arlington, Texas. The Mavericks currently compete in the NCAA Division I Western Athletic Confere ...

baseball team of the

Southland Conference The Southland Conference, abbreviated as SLC, is a collegiate athletic conference which operates in the South Central United States (specifically Texas and Louisiana). It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; for football, it ...

. Due to the number of catchers and middle infielders on the team, Choice played as a center fielder. As a freshman in 2008, Choice led the team in with a .376 batting average, seven

home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...

s, and 51

runs batted in A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if the ba ...

(RBIs). That year, Choice was named Second Team College Freshman All-American Outfielder and Southland Conference Freshman of the Year. In 2009, he was named Southland Conference All-Star Outfielder. In the summer of 2009, he played for the

United States national baseball team The United States national baseball team represents the United States in international-level baseball competitions. The team is currently ranked 5th in the world by the World Baseball Softball Confederation. Team USA won the Olympic baseball t ...

in the

World Baseball Challenge The World Baseball Challenge is an international baseball competition based in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada. The tournament was established in 2002 by Larry Seminoff, who is also the founder of the Grand Forks International. History ...

. As a junior in 2010, Choice hit .393 with 16 home runs, a .568 on-base percentage, and a .704 slugging percentage. He was named First Team College All-American Outfielder, Southland Conference All-Star Outfielder, and Southland Conference Player of the Year. He was also named a semifinalist for the

Golden Spikes Award The Golden Spikes Award is bestowed annually to the best amateur baseball player in the United States. The award, created by USA Baseball and sponsored by the Major League Baseball Players Association, was first presented in 1978. It is given to ...

, which is given to the best amateur baseball player of the year. In his three years at UTA, Choice batted .392 and hit a school-record 34 home runs.

Professional career

Oakland Athletics

The Oakland Athletics selected Choice with their first round pick, tenth overall, in the

2010 Major League Baseball Draft The 2010 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was held on June 7–9, 2010 at the MLB Network Studios in Secaucus, New Jersey. First-round selections The draft order was determined based on the 2009 MLB standings, with the worst team pi ...

. Choice was the first UTA player to be drafted in the first round, and the highest selection in Southland Conference history, tying

Ben Sheets Ben Michael Sheets (born July 18, 1978) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played for the Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland Athletics, and Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball. Sheets is a four-time MLB All-Star (2001, 2004, 2 ...

of Louisiana-Monroe, who was selected tenth overall in

1999 File:1999 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The funeral procession of King Hussein of Jordan in Amman; the 1999 İzmit earthquake kills over 17,000 people in Turkey; the Columbine High School massacre, one of the first major school shoot ...

. Choice signed with the Athletics on July 30 for a $2 million signing bonus. That season, he played for the

Arizona League Athletics The Arizona Complex League Athletics are a Minor League Baseball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, which plays as a Rookie-level team in the Arizona Complex League and has served as a farm team for the Oakland Athletics organization since 1988. T ...

of the Rookie-level

Arizona League The Arizona Complex League (ACL) is a rookie-level Minor League Baseball league that operates in and around Phoenix, Arizona, since 1988. Prior to 2021, it was known as the Arizona League (AZL). Along with the Florida Complex League (FCL), it ...

and

Vancouver Canadians The Vancouver Canadians are a Minor League Baseball team located in Vancouver, British Columbia. They are members of the Northwest League and are affiliated with the Toronto Blue Jays. The Canadians play their home games at Nat Bailey Stadiu ...

of the Class-A

Northwest League The Northwest League is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Northwestern United States and Western Canada. A Class A Short Season league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Basebal ...

. In 2011, he played for the Stockton Ports of the Class-A Advanced California League, where he batted .283 with 30 home runs, along with 82 RBIs. Playing

center field A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball and softball fielding position between left field and right field. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the c ...

for the

Midland RockHounds The Midland RockHounds are a Minor League Baseball team based in Midland, Texas. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics major league club. The RockHounds play in Momentum Bank Ballpark, w ...

of the Class-AA

Texas League The Texas League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated in the South Central United States since 1902. It is classified as a Double-A league. Despite the league's name, only its five South Division teams are actually based in the ...

, he batted .264 with six home runs and 43 RBIs in the first 69 games of the season, as he was named to appear in the 2012 All-Star Futures Game. His season ended prematurely due to a broken hand suffered when he was

hit by a pitch In baseball, hit by pitch (HBP) is an event in which a batter or his clothing or equipment (other than his bat) is struck directly by a pitch from the pitcher; the batter is called a hit batsman (HB). A hit batsman is awarded first base, provided ...

in July. Choice spent the 2013 season with the

Sacramento River Cats The Sacramento River Cats are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and are the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Prior to 2015, the River Cats were the Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics for 15 ...

of the

Class AAA Triple-A (officially Class AAA) has been the highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States since 1946. Currently, two leagues operate at the Triple-A level, the International League (IL) and the Pacific Coast League (PCL). ...

Pacific Coast League (PCL), where he batted .302 with 14 home runs and 89 RBIs in 132 games. The Athletics selected his contract on September 1, 2013. He made his major league debut the following day.

Texas Rangers

On December 3, 2013, the Athletics traded Choice and infielder Chris Bostick to the Texas Rangers for outfielder

Craig Gentry Craig Alan Gentry (born November 29, 1983) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, Oakland Athletics, Los Angeles Angels and Baltimore Orioles. Baseball career ...

and pitcher

Josh Lindblom Joshua William Lindblom (born June 15, 1987) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, Texas Rangers, Oakland Athletics, Pittsburgh Pirates, ...

. Choice made the Rangers' Opening Day roster. He hit his first career home run against the Houston Astros off of Kevin Chapman, becoming the first Rangers' player to hit his first career home run in a pitch-hit at-bat. Struggling with a .177 batting average, the Rangers demoted Choice to the

Round Rock Express The Round Rock Express are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers. They are located in Round Rock, Texas, and play their home games at the Dell Diamond. The team is named ...

of the PCL in July. The Rangers promoted Choice back to the major leagues in August. His season ended when he strained his

hamstring In human anatomy, a hamstring () is any one of the three posterior thigh muscles in between the hip and the knee (from medial to lateral: semimembranosus, semitendinosus and biceps femoris). The hamstrings are susceptible to injury. In quadrupe ...

in September; he batted .182 for the Rangers. Choice competed in spring training to become the Rangers' starting left fielder, but he struggled and was reassigned to minor league camp during the competition. Choice spent the 2015 season with Round Rock, and was

designated for assignment Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must within seven days, return the pla ...

on August 18.

Cleveland Indians

The Rangers traded Choice to the

Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive Fi ...

in exchange for cash considerations on August 21, and the Indians

optioned In the film industry, an option is a contractual agreement pertaining to film rights between a potential film producer (such as a movie studio, a production company, or an individual) and the author of source material, such as a book, play, or s ...

him to the Columbus Clippers of the Class AAA International League. Choice finished the 2015 season with Columbus, and was designated for assignment after the season. He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Columbus, and invited to 2016 spring training as a non-roster player.

Baltimore Orioles

Choice began the 2017 season in the

Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. As one of the American League's eight charter ...

organization. They assigned him to the

Norfolk Tides The Norfolk Tides are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. They are located in Norfolk, Virginia, and are named in nautical reference to the city's location on the Chesapea ...

of the International League, where he batted 1-for-26 in 10 games before he was released.

Milwaukee Brewers

On May 5, 2017, Choice signed a minor league deal with the Milwaukee Brewers. He played for the

Biloxi Shuckers The Biloxi Shuckers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Southern League and the Double-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Biloxi, Mississippi, and are named in reference to the city's oyster industry and seafood heri ...

of the Class AA Southern League.

Nexen Heroes

On July 22, 2017, the Brewers sold Choice's contract to the Nexen Heroes of the

KBO League The KBO League (), officially the Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League, is the highest level league of baseball in South Korea. The KBO League was founded with six franchises in 1982 and is the most popular sports league in South Korea. The Kia Tigers ar ...

. Choice re-signed with the Heroes for $600,000 on November 24, 2017. Choice batted .307 with 17 home runs in 46 games for Nexen, and was resigned for the 2018 season. He batted .258 with 17 home runs in 96 games, and Nexen released Choice on August 7, 2018.

Diablos Rojos del México

On August 16, 2018, Choice signed with the

Diablos Rojos del México The Diablos Rojos del Mexico (English: Mexico Red Devils) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in Mexico City, Mexico. The team was founded in 1940 by Salvador Lutteroth and Ernesto Carmona. The Diablos Rojos play their hom ...

of the

Mexican League The Mexican League (, ) is a professional baseball league based in Mexico and the oldest running professional league in the country. The league has 18 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games each season. Five te ...

. He became a free agent following the season.

Tigres de Quintana Roo

On April 19, 2019, Choice signed with the

Tigres de Quintana Roo The Quintana Roo Tigers (), formerly known as the Mexico (City) Tigers () are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico. The team is part of the Southern Division (). The team has won twelve champio ...

of the

. He was released on May 31, 2019.

Algodoneros de Unión Laguna

On June 29, 2019, Choice signed with the

Algodoneros de Unión Laguna The Algodoneros de Unión Laguna (English: Laguna Union Cotton Farmers) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in Torreón, Coahuila. History Early years The team was established in 1940 under the name Algodoneros de Unió ...

of the

Colorado Rockies

On December 17, 2019, Choice signed a minor league deal with the Colorado Rockies. Choice was released by the Rockies organization on May 30, 2020.

Algodoneros de Unión Laguna (second stint)

On April 8, 2021, Choice signed with the

of the

.http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=l_trn&lid=125 Choice hit .281/.369/.456 with 5 RBI in 16 games, but was released on June 10.

Acereros de Monclova

On June 18, 2021, Choice signed with the

Acereros de Monclova The Acereros de Monclova (English: Monclova Steelers) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in Monclova, Coahuila, Mexico. Their home ballpark is Estadio de Béisbol Monclova, which has a capacity of 11,000 people. The Ace ...

of the

."Michael Choice Stats, Highlights, Bio"
milb.com. In 3 games, he went 1 for 12 with no home runs or RBIs. On June 23, he was placed on the inactive list, and he was later released on August 8, 2021.

Lexington Legends

On August 9, 2021, Choice signed with the

Lexington Legends The Lexington Legends are an American professional baseball team based in Lexington, Kentucky. They are a member of the South Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, a "partner league" of Major League Baseball. The Legends ha ...

of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. In 36 games, he slashed .328/.420/.518 with 1 home run and 6 RBIs before he was released on September 17, 2021.

Personal

Choice was born in

Fort Worth, Texas Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, covering nearly into four other counties: Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise. Accord ...

. His father, Charles, worked as an engineer for

Bell Helicopter Bell Textron Inc. is an American aerospace manufacturer headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. A subsidiary of Textron, Bell manufactures military rotorcraft at facilities in Fort Worth, and Amarillo, Texas, as well as commercial helicopters in M ...

, and his mother, Charea, worked as a schoolteacher. Choice married his girlfriend, Jade, in October 2012. The couple have two children.

References

External links

KBO League statistics
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Choice, Michael 1989 births Living people Acereros de Monclova players African-American baseball players Algodoneros de Unión Laguna players American expatriate baseball players in Canada American expatriate baseball players in Mexico American expatriate baseball players in South Korea Arizona League Athletics players Baseball players from Fort Worth, Texas Biloxi Shuckers players Charros de Jalisco players Columbus Clippers players Diablos Rojos del México players KBO League outfielders Kiwoom Heroes players Major League Baseball outfielders Mexican League baseball left fielders Midland RockHounds players Norfolk Tides players Oakland Athletics players Phoenix Desert Dogs players Round Rock Express players Sacramento River Cats players Stockton Ports players Texas Rangers players Tigres de Quintana Roo players UT Arlington Mavericks baseball players Vancouver Canadians players 21st-century African-American sportspeople 20th-century African-American people Yaquis de Obregón players