A’s prospect Michael Choice, the 10th overall pick in the draft two years ago, will miss the rest of the 2012 season with a fractured hand.
Choice was riding a 16-game hitting streak for Double-A Midland when he was hit in the hand by a pitch during Saturday’s game. After a rough first half of the season that saw him bat .256/.326/.367 with six homers in 289 at-bats, he was at .414/.475/.657 with four homers since the All-Star break.
Choice has been a center fielder throughout his minor league career, but he projects as a right fielder in the majors, meaning he’s going to need to hit for more power and do a better job of making contact if he’s going to succeed as a regular. The last few weeks had to have the A’s more optimistic about his chances, so even though the timing of his injury was awfully disappointing, he should have a chance of opening next year in Triple-A.
