1st Round - 10th Overall - Oakland A's - OF - Michael Choice

2. Michael Choice – 2009: 4.13 11-HR 52-RBI UT Arlington -


7/9 fr. Keith Law www.espn.com: Michael Choice, OF, Texas-Arlington: He has below average speed and arm strength, so his only available defensive position is likely left field, but he has shown great power.

12-20 from www.thecollegebaseballblog.com – voyed to the 2010 MCBWA 3rd team all-american squad

1-27-10 from www.mlbdraft.blogspot.com: - A quick look at the top 15 outfielders for the 2010 draft. #10- Michael Choice-Tx-Arlington

2-5: from www.collegebaseball360.com: Baseball America Pre-Season All American team: - Second Team - OF Michael Choice, Texas-Arlington

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 47th

http://www.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?topic_id=8080130&content_id=7243411 - Michael Choice – OF - Scouting Report - Hitting ability: Choice has some moving parts on his swing, which raises concerns about his overall hitting ability. It's worked for him thus far, but his mechanics will have to improve. Power: He has big-time raw power to all fields. Running speed: He has above-average speed, fringy plus once he's underway. Base running: He has very good instincts in all facets of the game, including base running. Arm strength: He has a solid arm in the outfield. Fielding: He's a solid outfielder whose instincts and speed play well. Range: He has decent range, but will likely move from center field to a corner outfield position in the future. Physical Description: Choice is stocky and barrel-chested with a thick trunk. He'll have to watch his body in the future. Medical Update: Healthy. Strengths: Big-time raw power, above-average speed and terrific feel for the game. Weaknesses: There are questions about his hitting mechanics, leading to concerns over his overall hitting ability. Summary: In a year that lacks a ton of big-name college hitters, players from smaller programs like Choice have a chance to shine, and he is taking advantage. Though he'll need work on his swing mechanics, he has big-time raw power to all fields. He runs well and plays a strong outfield to boot. He may not be the elite hitter clubs seek, but since there aren't many of those this year, teams may look hard at Choice in the early going.

4-17 from: - http://www.baseballrumormill.com/2010/04/2010-draft-misfits-wimmers-sabol-choice/#more - Michael Choice, University of Texas-Arlington, OF: Choice has been almost as effective as Sabol, going 398/563/788 with 12 home runs and just 29 strikeouts against 44 walks. Also similar to Sabol, there are questions about the competition that he's putting these numbers up against.

OF, UT Arlington - 4-21 from: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2010/4/21/1433461/casing-the-states-texas-part-one#storyjump - Choice has received more attention as of late, as he continues to prove doubters wrong with his game on the field. Choice wasn't drafted or even really recruited out of high school, though he started immediately upon his arrival to UT Arlington. Blessed with plus-plus raw power, Choice's game revolves almost completely around his bat. Using an above-average hit tool and that power, he puts a charge into almost every ball he hits, and he does an excellent job of squaring the ball on his bat, a good sign to a smooth transition to wood bats. He proved his worth with wood bats last summer while playing for Team USA, and he's working on becoming the top college outfielder in the entire draft class. He's a fringe-average runner with fringe-average range for the outfield, also possessing a fringe-average arm, all things that pull down his potential draft position from the high place it could be if he were a little more athletic. He's a very smart player in the outfield and on the bases, though, so scouts feel he'll transition well to pro ball. The one drawback with his hitting is his pitch recognition, though he's improved on it in his three years at school. He's not against drawing a walk, and he's improved his patience as he's been pitched around this year. He is sacrificing some contact for power this year, which is a concern, but considering he's the only threat on his entire team, he gets a pass for trying to do something positive. He's made himself into a solid late first round option, and he shouldn't last past the beginning of the second round. Projected Draft Range: #20 Overall - Early 2nd Round

5-3 from: - http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=10752 - OF, University of Texas at Arlington - Choice continues to move up draft charts at an alarming rate. Really, he's got it all. He's a big, athletic outfielder with enough speed to play center field in a pinch, and overall tools that profile perfect in right field with plus raw power and arm strength. As for the numbers-oriented, he pleases them as well, as with six more walks over the weekend—oh yeah, and four hits, too, including his 14th home run—he's now batting .401/.571/.757 with 59 walks against just 152 at-bats. His level of competition isn't the greatest, but scouts are sold as he's moving into the upper half of the first round for most.



5-10 from: - http://thecollegebaseballblog.com/2010/05/10/southland-conference-players-of-the-week-8 - UT Arlington centerfielder Michael Choice has been named the Southland Conference Hitter of the Week. Choice hit two home runs, had two multi-hit games and broke the school’s all-time single-season walks record last week while going 5-for-11 with eight RBI. Choice began the week going 2-for-2 with three walks against Dallas Baptist while receiving three walks giving give him 62 for the season – which broke the Mavs’ single-season record that was set in 1978 by former Major League shortstop Dave Owen. He also received two intentional walks last week, improving his school single-season record to 17 and his career record to 22. The junior from Arlington, Texas (Mansfield Timberview), hit two home runs against second-place Stephen F. Austin, his conference-leading 15th and 16th of the season. Both home runs were three-run shots. Choice currently leads the conference in batting (.405) and home runs (16) and is tied for second in the league with 55 RBI. In addition, Choice has reached base safely with a base hit, walk or hit by pitch in 61 consecutive games dating back to last season. Choice’s 66 walks lead the nation. It his first hitter of the week award for Choice this season.



5-12 from: - http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/chicago-cubs-wrigley-bound/2010/05/cubs-draft-preview--hitters.html - Micheal Choice OF--Texas-Arlington-- 6'1 215 - This college bat may fit the Cubs bill if they decide to go with a hitter. He's sitting mid 1st round as I write this, and would offer a wealth of tools. Choice has above-average to plus power. His swing has many moving parts and in game tape that is evident, though in batting practice his swing looks much smoother leading me to believe he could iron out some of the kinks. He plays CF for his college team but profiles as a RF professionally. He has plenty of arm strength to play RF as well as above average speed and natural baseball instincts. As far as weaknesses, he will need to work on his trigger and load to hit for any kind of average. He reminds me of Michael Burgess of the Washington Nationals.

5-13 from: - http://pnrscouting.com/scoutingreports_2010_choicemi.html - Choice represents one of the better power bats in the draft class, and more safety than you will find with some of the prep bats with higher raw power ratings. As discussed above, however, the power does come with some trade-offs. He limits his contact-ability with a longish, high-effort swing and his plate discipline vacillates between average and a tick-below. While he boasts a gaudy Division I-leading 66 BB (1.35 per game -- also leads Division I), he has been pitched around a great deal due to the steep fall-off in the strength of bats with his supporting cast. He is also whiffing at a not insignificant rate -- once every 5.4 PA and just under once a game. Still, he shows good balance, even with the all-out approach, and his hand-eye coordination is strong enough to allow him to consistently square when he gets a pitch he can drive. He has the bat for a corner slot and could ultimately settle-in as a solid #5 or #6 hitter in a good pro line-up. There is a slight risk his swing will be exposed some against better pitching, but his bat speed should help minimize his slight mechanical shortcomings.

5-22 from: - http://www.baseballrumormill.com/2010/05/updated-scouting-reports-michael-choice-james-paxton/#more - Choice has established himself as the top power bat in the draft and figures to go in the Top 10. Beyond just being a power bat, Choice is one of the few legitimate college bats available. Choice's swing is geared for home runs and he will hit moonshots. He has a swing with excellent leverage which, combined with Choice's upper-body strength, is going to continue to produce power with wood. It's a busy swing, however, with a lot going on in his lower half, from excess leg movement to an early, severe shift forward with his hips, so making contact against better-quality pitching while swinging a wood bat is going to be a challenge. Choice is strong and has gotten his body into better shape than it was in last summer, but he's not staying in center field and his body does not rate to age well into his late 20s or early 30s. He's got an average arm and could probably handle right if he tweaks his throwing motion, as he gets under the ball sometimes and underthrows. He could go as high as #3 to the Baltimore Orioles and doesn't figure to get past the Blue Jays at #11. Cleveland (#5) has been rumored to be very interested in Choice and Arizona (#6) and Oakland (#10) are also interested.

5-28 from: - http://bleacherreport.com/tb/b4kdh - University of Texas-Arlington: Choice really put himself on the map with Team USA last summer and kept on improving his stock with his performance this spring. He's got as much power as anyone on this list while showing a good approach at the plate. There's a good chance he's the first outfielder taken off the board on June 7.