Lefties shortstop B.Y. Choi bats against Springfield early this season at Port Angeles Civic Field. Choi, who also played in Port Angeles in 2022, was drafted this week by the San Diego Padres. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

Lefties shortstop B.Y. Choi bats against Springfield early this season at Port Angeles Civic Field. Choi, who also played in Port Angeles in 2022, was drafted this week by the San Diego Padres. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

PORT ANGELES LEFTIES: Lefties’ B.Y. Choi drafted by San Diego Padres

PORTLAND, Ore. — B.Y. Choi of the Port Angeles Lefties was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 20th round of the 2023 Major League Baseball annual Rule 4 Amateur Draft.

Choi, a native of Seoul, South Korea, played at the New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell, N.M., and has transferred to Dallas Baptist University.

This year, Choi is hitting .194 (18-for-93) for the Lefties. He was arguably the team’s best player in 2022, leading the team in home runs, walks and runs scored. He hit .281 with four home runs, 16 RBIs, eight doubles, 22 runs scored and 24 walks in 42 games.

This past year, he had a spectacular season with the New Mexico Military Institute, hitting .448 with 15 home runs, 20 doubles, 11 triples, 80 RBIs, 45 walks and 10 stolen bases in just 58 games.

A total of 40 current and former West Coast League players were selected in the MLB draft, including a number of players who have played at Civic Field in Port Angeles.

UCLA right-hander Alonzo Tredwell became the first former WCL player taken in this year’s draft when he was chosen in the second round by the Houston Astros. Tredwell pitched for the Portland Pickles in 2021 before an impressive two-year career with the Bruins.

In six of the last seven years, a player with WCL experience has been snagged in the first round, including former No. 1 overall pick and 2023 MLB All-Star Adley Rutschman of the Baltimore Orioles. He played with the Corvallis Knights in 2016.

“Each year, the MLB Draft further illustrates the wealth of talent we’re blessed with every summer in all our markets. The quality and volume of draft picks with WCL ties makes it clear that we’re the top collegiate summer league in western North America,” said West Coast League Commissioner Rob Neyer.

Current and former WCL players drafted this week:

2nd round — Alonzo Tredwell, UCLA, Portland, Houston Astros.

3rd round — Kade Morris, Nevada, Bend, New York Mets.

4th round — Skyler Hales, Santa Clara, Wenatchee, Texas Rangers; Joe Redfield, Sam Houston, Victoria, Los Angeles Angels.

6th round — Bennett Lee, Wake Forest, Bellingham, Detroit Tigers.

7th round — Nate Nankil, Cal State Fullerton, Corvallis, Oakland A’s; John Peck, Pepperdine, Ridgefield, Detroit Tigers; Owen Wild, Gonzaga, Yakima Valley, Tampa Bay Rays; Charles Harrison, UCLA, Walla Walla, St. Louis Cardinals; Kiko Romero, Arizona, Corvallis, New York Yankees; Joey Dixon, Stanford, Bellingham, Houston Astros.

8th round — Jace Stoffal, Oregon, Springfield, Minnesota Twins; Drew Dowd, Stanford, Corvallis, Tampa Bay Rays; Jonah Advincula, Washington State, Corvallis, Cleveland Guardians; Quincy Scott, Palomar College, Ridgefield, Texas Rangers.

10th round — Case Matter, Washington, Yakima Valley, Texas Rangers; Morris Austin, Houston Christian, Portland, Milwaukee Brewers; Josh Mollerus, Oregon, Portland, Toronto Blue Jays.

11th round — Max Martin, Oregon, Walla Walla, Texas Rangers; Stu Flesland III, Washington, Yakima Valley/Walla Walla, Colorado Rockies; Rikuu Nishida, Oregon, Cowlitz, Chicago White Sox.

12th round — Sam Brown, Washington State, Cowlitz, Los Angeles Angels; Bjorn Johnson, Auburn, Cowlitz, Milwaukee Brewers.

13th round — Jacob Bresnahan, Oregon, Portland, Cleveland Guardians.

15th round — Will Simpson, Washington, Bellingham, Oakland A’s; Darius Perry, UCLA, Portland, Colorado Rockies; Phoenix Call, UCLA, Corvallis, Boston Red Sox.

16th round — Ryan Brown, Oregon State, Corvallis, Oakland A’s; Cole Urman, Cal State Fullerton, Ridgefield, Baltimore Orioles; Sam Whiting, UC Santa Barbara, Bend, San Diego Padres.

17th round — Mikey Kane, Oregon State, Ridgefield, Chicago White Sox; Jacob Sharp, UNLV, Ridgefield, Seattle Mariners.

18th round — Coby Morales, Washington, Ridgefield, New York Yankees.

19th round — Derek Salata, Illinois State, Victoria, Oakland A’s; Elijah Ickes, Hawaii, Nanaimo, Texas Rangers; Caden Connor, Cal State Fullerton, Ridgefield, Chicago White Sox.

20th round — Diego Barrera, Loyola Marymount, Bellingham, Oakland A’s; Peyton Stumbo, Nevada, Yakima Valley, Pittsburgh Pirates; Robert Orloski, UTSA, Bend, Boston Red Sox; B.Y. Choi, New Mexico Military Institute, Port Angeles, San Diego Padres.

Non-drafted free agents — Kelly Austin, UCLA, Cowlitz, Houston Astros; Hudson Leach, Miami (OH), Ridgefield, Houston Astros; Dakota Hawkins, Washington State, Victoria, New York Mets; Will McGillis, South Carolina, Bellingham, Los Angeles Angels; Trent Sellers, Oregon State, Walla Walla/Wenatchee, New York Yankees.

More in Sports

OUTDOORS: ONP’s Ridge Road winter operations beginning Friday

Olympic National Park’s Hurricane Ridge Road winter operations will… Continue reading

Sequim middle hitter Arianna Stovall made the first team of the All-Olympic squad in volleyball with Libero Tiffany Lam, a second-team member in the background. Stovall consistently led the team in kills this season. Right, Sequim's Kenzi Berglund was named to the first-team All-Olympic squad in volleyball. (Jennie Webber-Heilman)  (Michael Dashiell/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
ALL-OLYMPICS VOLLEYBALL: Sequim puts Stovall, Berglund on first team

The Sequim Wolves, coming off a successful Olympic League season… Continue reading

Leilah Franich, of the Port Angeles girls bowling team rolls against rival Sequim on Monday at Laurel Lanes in Port Angeles. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
GIRLS PREP BOWLING: Sequim bounces back to edge PA 4-3.

The Sequim bowling team nipped Port Angeles 4-3 Monday… Continue reading

Port Angeles swimmers Lynzee Reid, left, and Brooke St. Luise.
ATHLETES OF THE WEEK: Lynzee Reid and Brooke St. Luise, Port Angeles girls swim team

For the 12th straight year, the Port Angeles girls swim team finished… Continue reading

The Port Angeles Swim Club celebrated its 60th anniversary on Saturday. For decades, the club has trained swimmers who have gone on to become swimming stars in high school and college. (Port Angeles Swim Club)
CLUB SPORTS: Port Angeles Swim Club celebrates 60th anniversary

The Port Angeles Swim Club celebrated its 60 anniversary… Continue reading

Corban College’s Jack Gladfelter, a Port Angeles High School graduate, runs in the NAIA nationals cross-country meet in Columbia, Mo., on Saturday. Gladfelter finished eighth in the nation. (Joe Gladfelter)
AREA SPORTS BRIEFS: PA’s Gladfelter eighth at national cross-country championship

Port Angeles High School graduate Jack Gladfelter finished eighth… Continue reading

Neah Bay's Adan Ellis reaches for a pass against Almire-Coulee-Hartline in the state 1B quarterfinals Saturday played in Moses Lake. Ellis had four catches for 85 yards in the 14-12 loss. (Roger Harnack/Cheney Free Press)
1B STATE FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS: Neah Bay falls to ACH in defensive slugfest

Red Devils lose 14-12 as both teams’ defenses dominate

Seattle's Jarran Reed (90) and Leonard Williams (99) celebrate a big defensive play against the Arizona Cardinals at Lumen Field in Seattle on Sunday. Seattle won 16-6 to take over first place in the NFC West.
(Rio Giancarlo/Getty Images)
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS: Defense, led by Leonard Williams, smothers Cardinals

Seattle takes over first place in the NFC West