Former Padres Infielder Opts Out of Deal With Struggling Mets

Maren Angus-Coombs | Jun 1, 2024

Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Mets announced Friday night that they granted former San Diego Padres infielder Ji-man Choi his release from Triple-A Syracuse.

Choi, who signed with the Mets on a minor league deal back on Feb. 16, had a June 1 opt-out in his contract. He competed for a roster spot in spring training but lost the designated hitter competition to D.J. Stewart.

He had the opportunity to opt out of his contract on May 1 and retest free agency but he chose to stay and didn't find much success. In 26 games with Syracuse, Choi went 16-for-84 (.190) with four home runs and 12 RBI.

There isn't much room for Choi to crack the big league roster. First baseman Pete Alonso and designated hitter J.D. Martinez stand in his way. His underwhelming performance in the minor leagues also doesn't help him.

Choi stumbled to a .163/.239/.385 slash line between the Pirates and Padres in a 2023 season mostly lost to injuries. His most productive years were for the Rays from 2019-22, hitting .248/.361/.447 in more than 1100 plate appearances against right-handed pitching.

Moving forward, he will most likely look to land somewhere that provides an opportunity for more playing time at first base.