Michael Choice

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #3 prospect in 2014
  The Athletics took Choice 10th overall in 2010 on the strength of his power bat and signed him for $2 million. Since hitting 30 home runs in the high Class A California League in 2011, he hit just 24 the next two seasons combined. Choice hit a career-best .302 at Triple-A Sacramento in 2013 and made his big league debut in September. He has worked diligently to simplify his swing in pro ball, toning down the moving parts, a la Gary Sheffield, to give him a more direct path to the ball. The drop off in his homer production notwithstanding, Choice has plus raw power, with the bat speed and strength to hit balls out of any part of the park. He does take big hacks and will accumulate strikeouts, but he has good plate coverage and has sliced his strikeout rate from 25 percent in 2011 to 19 percent in 2013. Choice can play passable defense in center field but most likely ends up on a corner. His solid-average speed and arm strength make right field a good fit. He has the upside to be an impact bat at the major league level, even if he lands in a corner. Though he performed well in Sacramento in 2013, he has no obvious place in Oakland's outfield with Yoenis Cespedes, Coco Crisp and Josh Reddick from left to right. He faces a return to Triple-A in 2014.
• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #2 prospect in 2013
  After setting a Texas-Arlington record with 34 career home runs, Choice became the highest-drafted player in school history when he went 10th overall in 2010. Signed for $2 million, he led the high Class A California League with 30 homers in his first full pro season. He started slowly in 2012 while making adjustments to his swing. He was heating up before an errant pitch broke his left hand on July 21, ending his season. Choice has plenty of strength, and his quick wrists generate blinding bat speed and towering home runs. He's capable of hitting balls out to any part of the park. He has worked diligently to cut down on excess movement in his swing, shortening his stroke and creating a better bat path. He still has trouble with breaking pitches and may strike out too much to hit for a high average. Choice isn't a burner, but he's a solid runner who gets the job done in center field thanks to his good reads and jumps. If he has to move, he'd slide over to left field because he has fringy arm strength. Choice may start 2013 back in Double-A Midland but could advance to Triple-A Sacramento quickly if things go well. He could force his way into Oakland's outfield plans for 2014.
• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #3 prospect in 2012
  Choice set Texas-Arlington's career home run record at 34 and led NCAA Division I with 76 walks in 2010, setting the stage for going 10th overall in the draft that June. Signed for $2 million, he has kept on rolling. In his first full year in pro ball, he led the high Class A California League with 30 homers and then hit .318/.423/.667 with six more longballs in the Arizona Fall League. Choice has leverage in his swing and electrifying bat speed, giving him light-tower power to all fields. He struggles at times with breaking pitches, but his strikeouts rate did drop as the 2011 season went on. The A's have worked to eliminate some moving parts in his swing, particularly in his lower half. He also has gotten better at pitch recognition and selection. Choice was bothered by a hamstring problem during the season, inhibiting his solid speed, but he can take an extra base and has a chance to stick in center field. He has an average arm and has improved his jumps on balls. Choice will be given every opportunity to continue playing center as he advances, with Double-A his next stop. Where he eventually settles in the majors will be dictated by Oakland's needs, and he'll easily have the power to play a corner.
• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #3 prospect in 2011
  After batting .413 as a sophomore, Choice hit .383 as a junior in 2010 to win the Southland Conference batting title. He also led NCAA Division I with 76 walks and set Texas-Arlington's career home run record with 34. He passed Hunter Pence as the highestdrafted player in school history when the A's took him 10th overall, and he signed for a slightly over-slot $2 million in late July. Choice generates plenty of leverage and bat speed, giving him raw power that rates a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale. Oakland believes he can hit for a solid average as well, but his swing is unorthodox with a lot of moving parts. Scouts worry about his swing plane and believe he could be prone to high strikeout totals. Choice played center field in his pro debut and has enough speed to possibly stick there for the time being. He needs to clean up his routes on fly balls and probably will end up on a corner in the long run, with his arm strength fitting better in left field than right. Choice's swing has worked thus far, so the A's aren't going to touch it yet. He could be in for a big offensive year as he heads to the hitter-friendly California League to start his first full season.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Pacific Coast League #20 prospect in 2013
  Choice, who bounced back from a broken hand in 2012, generates power with his quick, powerful stroke, but he struggled at times in making contact. He?s rarely cheated and takes a big swing, though he cut his whiff rate for the third consecutive season and he?s shown that he will accept a walk. Sacramento plays as the PCL?s best pitcher?s park, and Choice hit just four of his 14 home runs at Raley Field. He?s not afraid to use the whole field, which helps him hit for a high average despite his contact issues. Choice can still play some center field but profiles better on a corner. His average arm makes right field possible, though he?s better suited for left. He projects as a middle-of-the-lineup run producer.
• 
  Ranked California League #7 prospect in 2011
  Choice was the most feared power hitter in the Cal League, topping the circuit with 30 homers in his full-season debut. He smacked a third of those longballs in July, when he batted .416/.475/.820, and added three more in the postseason. Choice generates his power with tremendous bat speed and can hit mistakes out of any part of the park. His all-or-nothing swing tends to get long and pitchers were able to expose him with breaking pitches off the plate, though he made improvements as the season wore on. He has solid speed and puts it to use on the basepaths--more in terms of taking extra bases than stealing them--and in center field. Though he may end up on a corner, Choice impressed managers with his instincts and routes. His arm is fringy to average, so he's better suited for left field than right.
• 
  Ranked Arizona Fall League #8 prospect in 2011
  Choice played only 17 games in the AFL and hit six homers in 66 at-bats while batting .318/.423/.667. He's got good bat speed and projects to be a solid middle-of-the-order hitter with enough bat to play a corner outfield position, although he was better in center field than scouts expected. He struggled at times with recognizing breaking balls but has the aptitude to make adjustments. Scouts noticed that he's slowed down a bit since his college days and his average arm may be short for right field, so some believe his ultimate position will be in left.
• 
  Ranked Northwest League #2 prospect in 2010
  The 10th overall pick in the 2010 draft, Choice has excellent bat speed and good leverage to his swing, which results in legitimate plus-plus raw power to all fields. How much of that power he taps into is the question because there are a lot of moving parts to his swing. Over 102 at-bats in the NWL, Choice hit seven home runs but also struck out 43 times. Choice has a toe tap and an exaggerated twist to his load, and his swing can get too uphill. He has good pitch recognition and drives balls all over the field in batting practice, but he has an aggressive approach and gets too pull-happy in games. He sometimes rolls over his top hand prematurely. "He recognized pitches and hit the ball hard to all fields," Boise manager Jody Davis said. "He looks a little unorthodox, but when the ball hits his bat, it (goes) a long way." Choice played exclusively in center field during his pro debut, but it's unlikely he'll remain there over the long haul. He's a tick above-average as a runner, but his body type suggests that he'll probably lose a step before too long and his arm probably will dictate a move to left field. He also needs to work on his jumps and routes.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #98 prospect in 2014
• Ranked Baseball America's #80 prospect in 2012

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: After setting a Texas-Arlington record with 34 career home runs, Choice became the highest-drafted player in school history when he went 10th overall in 2010. Signed for $2 million, he led the high Class A California League with 30 homers in his first full pro season. He started slowly in 2012 while making adjustments to his swing. He was heating up before an errant pitch broke his left hand on July 21, ending his season. Scouting Report: Choice has plenty of strength, and his quick wrists generate blinding bat speed and towering home runs. He's capable of hitting balls out to any part of the park. He has worked diligently to cut down on excess movement in his swing, shortening his stroke and creating a better bat path. He still has trouble with breaking pitches and may strike out too much to hit for a high average. Choice isn't a burner, but he's a solid runner who gets the job done in center field thanks to his good reads and jumps. If he has to move, he'd slide over to left field because he has fringy arm strength. The Future: Choice headed down to the Dominican Republic to play winter ball and try to make up for the at-bats he lost due to the injury. He may start 2013 back in Midland but could advance to Triple-A Sacramento quickly if things go well. He could force his way into Oakland's outfield plans for 2014.
• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: Choice set Texas-Arlington's career home run record at 34 and led NCAA Division I with 76 walks in 2010, setting the stage for going 10th overall in the draft that June. Signed for $2 million, he has kept on rolling. In his first full year in pro ball, he led the high Class A California League with 30 homers and then hit .318/.423/.667 with six more longballs in the Arizona Fall League.Scouting Report: Choice has leverage in his swing and electrifying bat speed, giving him light-tower power to all fields. He struggles at times with breaking pitches, but his strikeout rate did drop as the 2011 season went on. The A's have worked to eliminate some moving parts in his swing, particularly in his lower half. He also has gotten better at pitch recognition and selection. Choice was bothered by a hamstring problem during the season, inhibiting his solid speed, but he can take an extra base and has a chance to stick in center field. He has an average arm and has improved his jumps on balls.The Future: Choice will be given every opportunity to continue playing center field as he advances, with Double-A his next stop. Where he eventually settles in the majors will be dictated by Oakland's needs, and he'll easily have the home run power necessary to play a corner.
• August, 2011 Scouting Report
  Choice played only 17 games in the AFL and hit six homers in 66 at-bats while batting .318/.423/.667. He's got good bat speed and projects to be a solid middle-of-the-order hitter with enough bat to play a corner outfield position, although he was better in center field than scouts expected. He struggled at times with recognizing breaking balls but has the aptitude to make adjustments. Scouts noticed that he's slowed down a bit since his college days and his average arm may be short for right field, so some believe his ultimate position will be in left.