Hee-Seop Choi
First Baseman · Career Stats, Bio & Records (2002-2005)
Hee-Seop Choi was a first baseman who played in Major League Baseball from 2002 to 2005 for the Chicago Cubs, the Florida Marlins, and the Los Angeles Dodgers, a span of 4 seasons. In 363 career games, he hit .240 with 220 hits, 40 home runs, and 120 RBI. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 1,053.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
- Position
- First Baseman
- Bats / Throws
- L / L
- Height / Weight
- 6'5" / 235 lb
- Born
- 3/16/1979 in Hwasun, South Jeolla Province, South Korea
- MLB Debut
- 2002-09-03
- Last Game
- 2005-10-02
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 363 | 915 | 130 | 220 | 54 | 3 | 40 | 120 | 3 | 141 | 262 | .240 | .349 | .437 | .786 | 1,053 |
Career AVG .240 vs. league average .264 across their career seasons — 8.9% below league average.
Career OBP .349 vs. league average .332 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career SLG .437 vs. league average .421 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OPS .786 vs. league average .754 across their career seasons — near league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | CHN | NL | 24 | 50 | 6 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 15 | .180 | .261 (-31%) | .331 (-15%) | .416 (-23%) | .747 (-20%) | -154.7 |
| 2003 | CHN | NL | 80 | 202 | 31 | 44 | 17 | 0 | 8 | 28 | 1 | 37 | 71 | .218 | .264 (-18%) | .332 (+5%) | .422 (avg) | .754 (+2%) | 167.1 |
| 2004 | FLO | NL | 95 | 281 | 48 | 76 | 16 | 1 | 15 | 40 | 1 | 52 | 78 | .270 | .266 (+2%) | .335 (+16%) | .427 (+16%) | .762 (+16%) | 1002.3 |
| 2004 | LAN | NL | 31 | 62 | 5 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 11 | 18 | .161 | .266 (-39%) | .335 (-14%) | .427 (-43%) | .762 (-30%) | 1002.3 |
| 2005 | LAN | NL | 133 | 320 | 40 | 81 | 15 | 2 | 15 | 42 | 1 | 34 | 80 | .253 | .264 (-4%) | .330 (+2%) | .418 (+8%) | .749 (+5%) | 356.0 |
| Career · 5 seasons | 363 | 915 | 130 | 220 | 54 | 3 | 40 | 120 | 3 | 141 | 262 | .240 | — | — | — | — | 2,373 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (363 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 185 | 457 | 68 | 110 | 23 | 62 | .241 |
| Away | 178 | 458 | 62 | 110 | 17 | 58 | .240 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-10-02 | LAD | SDP | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2005-10-01 | LAD | SDP | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2005-09-29 | LAD | AZ | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2005-09-27 | LAD | AZ | L | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2005-09-26 | LAD | PIT | W | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2005-09-25 | LAD | PIT | W | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2005-09-22 | LAD | AZ | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2005-09-21 | LAD | AZ | L | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005-09-20 | LAD | AZ | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2005-09-16 | LAD | SFG | L | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 286 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Rookie of the Month | April |
Salary History
Hee-Seop Choi's recorded salaries total $1,691,500 over 4 seasons, 2003 to 2006. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Choi's career ran from 2002 to 2005. No salary is recorded for 2002.
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | BOS | AL | $725,000 |
| 2005 | LAN | NL | $351,500 |
| 2004 | FLO | NL | $310,000 |
| 2003 | CHN | NL | $305,000 |
| Total recorded salary (partial) | $1,691,500 | ||
Hee-Seop Choi: the record in brief
September 3, 2002 and October 2, 2005 bracket Hee-Seop Choi's time in the majors: the debut and the last game on record. By club, Choi's seasons break down as the Chicago Cubs (2002 to 2003), the Florida Marlins (2004), and the Los Angeles Dodgers (2004 to 2005). The bio lists Choi as a first baseman who batted and threw left-handed. The recorded size is 6'5" and 235 pounds. Choi was born on March 16, 1979, in Hwasun, South Jeolla Province, South Korea.
Choi collected 220 hits in 915 at bats across 363 games, good for a .240 batting average, plus 40 homers and 120 RBI. Reaching base at a .349 clip and slugging .437, Choi finished with a .786 OPS. Measured against the leagues Choi played in, the .240 career average compares with a .264 league average over the same seasons, 8.9% below the league. No season beat the 15 home runs Choi hit in 2004. 2005 produced Choi's most hits, 81 of them for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Frequently Asked Questions about Hee-Seop Choi
- What years did Hee-Seop Choi play?
- Hee-Seop Choi played in Major League Baseball from 2002 to 2005.
- Was Hee-Seop Choi a pitcher?
- No. Hee-Seop Choi was a position player (First Baseman).
- How many home runs did Hee-Seop Choi hit?
- Hee-Seop Choi hit 40 career home runs with 220 hits.
- What teams did Hee-Seop Choi play for?
- Hee-Seop Choi played for 3 teams: the Chicago Cubs (2002–2003), the Florida Marlins (2004), and the Los Angeles Dodgers (2004–2005).
- What were Hee-Seop Choi's career stats?
- In 363 games, Hee-Seop Choi had 220 hits, 40 home runs, 120 RBI, 130 runs, and 3 stolen bases, with a .240 batting average.
- How much did Hee-Seop Choi earn in his career?
- Hee-Seop Choi's recorded salaries total $1,691,500 over 4 seasons, 2003 to 2006. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Choi's career ran from 2002 to 2005. No salary is recorded for 2002.
- What was Hee-Seop Choi's salary?
- Hee-Seop Choi's last recorded salary was $725,000, in 2006. His highest recorded salary was $725,000, in 2006, and his lowest was $305,000, in 2003. The Salary History table lists each season from 2003 to 2006.
- What position did Hee-Seop Choi play?
- Hee-Seop Choi played primarily as a first baseman, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Hee-Seop Choi and how much did he weigh?
- Hee-Seop Choi was listed at 6 feet 5 inches and 235 pounds.
- How many home runs did Hee-Seop Choi hit each season?
- Hee-Seop Choi's home runs by season: 2 in 2002, 8 in 2003, 15 in 2004, and 15 in 2005. His most in one season was 15, in 2004 and 2005.
- What was Hee-Seop Choi's career batting average?
- Hee-Seop Choi batted .240 over his career, with 220 hits in 915 at bats.
- How many RBI did Hee-Seop Choi have?
- Hee-Seop Choi drove in 120 runs in his career.
- Is Hee-Seop Choi in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Hee-Seop Choi has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.