*This content was translated by AI.
Korean major leaguer Choo Ji-man (35) will first experience Korean professional baseball through the Futures League's Ulsan Whales.
The Ulsan Whales announced on the 24th that they will hold a signing ceremony and an official induction event with former major league infielder Choo Ji-man at their home stadium, Munsu Baseball Stadium, at 4 p.m. on the 27th.
This marks the first time in some time that a Korean-born major league position player has returned to Korea since Choo Shin-soo (44), an advisor to the SSG Landers club owner, came back in 2021. Choo Ji-man is considered one of only two players who went straight to the United States after high school graduation and achieved success alongside Choo Shin-soo. After graduating from Incheon Seoseok Elementary, Dongsan Middle, and Dongsan High schools, he signed with the Seattle Mariners as an international amateur free agent in 2009.
He reached Triple-A in Seattle and, after the 2015 season, was selected in the Rule 5 draft to join the Los Angeles Angels, finally fulfilling his dream of making his major league debut. In the majors, he played as a first baseman and corner outfielder known for his one-blast power. He played for seven teams: the Los Angeles Angels, New York Yankees, Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, and New York Mets. The team that utilized him the most was the Tampa Bay Rays.
During his time with the Rays in 2019, Choo Ji-man played a career-high 127 games with 487 plate appearances, posting a .261 batting average (107 hits in 410 at-bats), 19 home runs, 63 RBIs, 54 runs scored, a .363 on-base percentage, and a .459 slugging percentage. His career major league statistics stand at 525 games, a .234 batting average (367 hits in 1,567 at-bats), 67 home runs, 238 RBIs, 190 runs scored, a .338 on-base percentage, and a .426 slugging percentage.
After leaving Tampa Bay, his performance declined due to injuries and poor form. After a two-year stint with the Mets, he began seriously considering a return to Korea following the 2024 season. Under KBO Bylaw Article 107, Section 1, players who went straight overseas after high school graduation cannot sign with a KBO team for two years, making it highly likely that Choo Ji-man will participate in the 2027 KBO Rookie Draft, which is scheduled to be held in the second half of this year.
He enlisted as a social service agent in May 2025 to fulfill his military obligation. His condition had worsened due to past knee surgery, leading to his discharge from the reserve forces in August of that year, and he has been focused solely on rehabilitation until recently. With his signing with the Ulsan Whales, attention is once again turning to Choo Ji-man's potential draft position in the 2027 KBO Rookie Draft.
The debate within the baseball community regarding Choo Ji-man's return to Korea is ongoing. Skeptics classify Choo Ji-man as an older designated hitter. A KBO club official, A, told StarNews, "We essentially have to view him as a designated hitter. It's uncertain whether his defense will hold up after knee surgery. It has already been several years since Choo Ji-man showed good form in actual games."
However, there are also positive assessments suggesting that if it is assumed his knee rehabilitation is complete, he could be selected in an upper round. Another KBO club official, B, remarked, "It's easy to think of Choo Ji-man as a foreign hitter with an injury history. He is a player who has hit double-digit home runs in the majors. If a team were to pick an immediate impact player in the rookie draft, while a first-round selection might be a stretch, a second-round pick seems plausible."
The fact that Choo Ji-man, with his gap in actual game experience and injury history, has emerged as an attractive prospect is also partly due to the relatively slow development of this year's rookie position player pool. Third-year players this year were expected to show potential after participating in games since their first and second years. Among the top three prospects are Busan High's Ha Hyun-seung (18), who plays both pitching and hitting, Deoksu High's Eom Jun-sang (18), and Seoul High's Kim Ji-woo (18). Other top-round draft candidates include Gyeongnam High infielder Lee Ho-min (18) and outfielder Park Bo-seung (18), Gwangju Il High catcher Kim Sun-bin (18) and outfielder Bae Jong-yoon (18), Deoksu High catcher Seol Jae-min (18), and Seoul Convention High Nam Hyun-woo (18).
However, according to StarNews' investigation, the overall assessment by KBO scouts is that by the time the 2026 Shinsegae E-Mart Cup National High School Baseball Tournament concluded, there were no position players who showed clear development, even including the top three, except for Lee Ho-min, who demonstrated definite power-hitting ability. Most players mentioned for selection in upper rounds due to clear development compared to last year were pitchers.
Of course, there are cases like last year's Shin Jae-in (19, NC Dinos), whose skills improved late. Around this time last year, Shin Jae-in also disappointed scouts due to issues with batting balance and timing. However, after the E-Mart Cup concluded, his batting cycle improved through weekend league play, leading his team to the runner-up position in the Golden Spikes Cup. A KBO club scout, C, said, "There is definitely no standout position player so far. Many players were not in their best condition due to illness or injuries. We will have to wait until the Golden Spikes Cup."
This is why some KBO clubs have turned their attention to the news of the 35th-year-old designated hitter joining the Ulsan Whales. As he is expected to begin playing in earnest from July this year, Choo Ji-man's determination is also exceptional.
Through the Ulsan Whales, Choo Ji-man shared his thoughts: "It is a new experience for me to engage in Korean professional baseball with the Ulsan Whales for the first time since graduating from high school. If many Ulsan citizens come to the baseball stadium and have many players sign their uniforms, it will be a great source of strength and happiness for the players."
He continued, "I want to show the passionate side I displayed in the majors again in front of the fans. I want to personally see the Futures League stadiums filled to capacity. I will play the role of a veteran player contributing to creating such an atmosphere."
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*This content was translated by AI.
