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University of Rio Grande right-hander Brady Choban delivers a pitch plateward during a River States Conference Tournament matchup against Point Park University in May at VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe, Ohio. The Wadsworth, Ohio native signed with the Los Angeles Angels organization on Wednesday night.
University of Rio Grande right-hander Brady Choban delivers a pitch plateward during a River States Conference Tournament matchup against Point Park University in May at VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe, Ohio. The Wadsworth, Ohio native signed with the Los Angeles Angels organization on Wednesday night.
Posted: Aug 10, 2023

Rio Grande's Choban signed by L.A. Angels

MLB Draft League/Rio Grande Sports Information
     NEW YORK, N.Y. - The MLB Draft League announced Wednesday night that the Los Angeles Angels purchased the contracts of two players from the West Virginia Black Bears, including former University of Rio Grande pitcher Brady Choban.
     Choban and left-handed pitcher Will Sandy became the fifth and sixth professional players, respectively, from the league to have their contracts purchased by a Major League club this season.
     A total of 10 Draft Leaguers' contracts have been purchased since the Draft League implemented a professional, second-half format in 2022.
     Choban, 22, recorded a 1.80 earned run average which was fifth-best in the Draft League, along with a Draft League-leading eight saves in eight chances, while appearing in 10 games for the Black Bears as a professional player. The 6-foot-6 right-hander held opposing hitters to a .167 average, totaling 11 strikeouts and five walks in 10 innings. He led all Draft League professional pitchers in maximum (97.8 mph) and average (94.4) fastball velocity.
     Choban also pitched for the Black Bears as an amateur player ahead of the 2023 MLB Draft, going 1-1 in 10 relief appearances. He struck out 19 in 10.1 innings and had six straight scoreless appearances to conclude the first half of the Draft League season before signing to pitch in the Draft League as an undrafted free agent.
     The Wadsworth, Ohio native was 0-2 with a 4.70 ERA in eight starts this past season as a University of Rio Grande senior. He compiled a 5.11 ERA with 56 strikeouts and 18 walks over 37 innings - 13 starts- in two seasons with the RedStorm.
Choban came to Rio Grande after pitching at Marshall University from 2019-21.
     In his career with the Thundering Herd, Choban posted a 1-4 record over 14 appearances. He authored his best start at MU during a win over the University of Akron in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, allowing four hits and one earned run over a career-high six innings with a career-best six strikeouts.
     Choban allowed opposing batters to hit just .224 off of him during his sophomore campaign in 2020, which was best among Herd starters.
     "We're extermely happy for Brday to get this opportunity after all the hard work he's put in to overcome the adversity he's had to deal with," said Rio Grande head coach Brad Warnimont. "We knew as a staff that he was going to be better post-Rio Grande following his Tommy John surgery and that his best days were ahead of him. He has a tremendous upside and I think the Angels recognized that."
     Choban becomes the seventh player from an NAIA program to sign with a Major League organization this year.
     He also becomes the second Rio Grande player currently in the professional ranks, joining former standout Dylan Shockley, who is a member of the Class AA Altoona Curve in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization.
     The MLB Draft League had 47 players selected in the 2023 MLB Draft, including 34 players who had played in the first half of the 2023 season. The Draft League set a new record with 19 players drafted during Rounds 3-10, including 12 players from the 2023 Draft League season. Six players were drafted within the first five rounds, led by the Draft League's first-ever Top 100 picks in Sabin Ceballos (No. 94 overall) and Devin Saltiban (98).
     Since the Draft's conclusion, more than 20 undrafted alums have signed free-agent deals with a Major League team.
     The Draft League plays an amateur/professional hybrid-format season. After featuring exclusively Draft-eligible players during a 30-game first half of the season (June 1 to July 4), the Draft League transitioned to a professional league in the second half (July 7-Sept. 2), with undrafted, out-of-eligibility players signed to professional contracts comprising the six founding Draft League teams' rosters while playing a 50-game schedule.