Report: Shin-Soo Choo Donating $190,000 To Help Pay Minor Leaguers In Texas Rangers Farm System
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Outfielder Shin-Soo Choo is helping out players in the Texas Rangers farm system during the season shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic.
According to Naver Sports, a Korean sports website. Choo has donated $1,000 to each of the club's 190 minor league players, totaling $190,000.
"I came here with nothing, but baseball has given me a lot since. Minor league players are future of our organization. I just hope that they can fight through and overcome this difficult time," Choo said to Navar, via Daniel Kim.
MLB is currently giving minor league players $400 a week through May 31st. Initially, that support was only through April 8th, a day before the minor league season was set to begin, but the MLB extended that support earlier this week.
According to the Associated Press, weekly minimums in the minor leagues vary between $290 for Class A to $502 for Triple-A. The $1,000 that Choo is "paying forward" will go a long way to helping these players financially.
Choo is entering the final year of a seven-year $130 million contract with the Rangers. Last season he batted .265, with 24 home runs and 61 RBIs.