Hyun-il Choi’s ascent to Triple-A Oklahoma City proved to be a challenging transition. Despite being recognized as the 2021 Branch Rickey Award recipient for his outstanding performance as the Los Angeles Dodgers’ minor league pitcher of the year, Choi faced a daunting start in his Triple-A debut. In Tuesday’s game, he began on the mound but ended up with a loss.
The 23-year-old pitcher, known for his right-handed throws, pitched for 4 2/3 innings, conceding three runs on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts. His debut was marred by a three-run home run in the initial inning. However, he managed to restrain the River Cats from scoring for the remainder of his appearance, which marked only his second outing above the High-A level. Despite throwing 78 pitches, 49 of which were strikes, Choi was marked with the loss.
Prior to his promotion, Choi spent a fortnight with the Double-A Tulsa Drillers this season, where he made one start. During this time, he yielded five earned runs from seven hits, including two home runs, across 4 1/3 innings, yet he exited the game without a decision.
Choi’s journey to Triple-A faced setbacks due to an injury that sidelined him for almost the entirety of 2022 and the initial six weeks of 2023, following elbow surgery. His entire previous season was spent at High-A Great Lakes, where he demonstrated a commendable performance, boasting a 3.75 ERA with 46 strikeouts and 12 walks over 60 innings.
