Nothing against Peoria, but B.Y. Choi could not wait to get out of the Arizona Complex League.

The high this year hit 118 degrees, he said, making The Diamond in Lake Elsinore something of an oasis.

Then there’s a spice of life that you miss when you wake up in that desert every day for several months at a time.

Perhaps a big-league pitcher rolls through for rehab innings from time to time, but in Lake Elsinore you’re about an hour north of the big-league team’s hub and perhaps the opportunity of a lifetime.

At least that was the case last Sunday when the 22-year-old Choi and four teammates were driven down the 15 to help Yu Darvish through his first simulated action at Petco Park.

It made for an especially long day as the Storm had a 5 p.m. first pitch an hour north of Lake Elsinore in Rancho Cucamonga.

Not that Choi was complaining.

“Really cool,” Choi said. “I faced Darvish.”

He added: “A little bit (nervous), but excited. It was just for fun. I was so excited.”

⁦@Storm_Baseball⁩ hitters preparing for live BP against Darvish pic.twitter.com/S0VMmRaoXt

— Jeff Sanders (@sdutSanders) August 25, 2024

Choi has indeed come a long way since going undrafted in South Korea after high school.

While he admits the KBO was a longshot, he said, a recruiting company helped connect Choi with the New Mexico Military Institute, which he’d already been preparing for with English classes for about a year before moving to the States. His production in the New Mexico junior college (15 HRs, 1.429 OPS, 58 games), as well as two summers at Port Angeles in the West Coast League, intrigued the Padres enough to select him with their 20th-round pick in 2023.

Choi played a week’s worth of games in Arizona last year and then hit his way out of complex league this summer, pairing four homers and 18 RBIs with a .262/.405/.424 batting line across 55 games.

The step up in competition is challenging the left-handed-hitting shortstop.

Choi hit his first home run last week in Rancho Cucamonga, but he’s hitting .222/.341/.347 with 28 strikeouts in 19 games with the Storm.

Last week’s trip to Petco Park provided Choi with an up-close look at big-league pitching. He has, however, rubbed shoulders with idol Ha-Seong Kim as the two South Koreans connected in spring training in Peoria.

“That was so exciting,” Choi said. “I worked with him. He was really nice, really cool.”

While a postseason run with the Storm lies ahead, the big-league experiences with Kim and Darvish have provided bookends for an educational first year in pro ball, one that Choi hopes is a stepping stone in the organization.

“Not that bad, not that great,” Choi said of his season between the lines. “I need to improve in everything in baseball.”

Friday’s scoreboard

DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (55-67)

Midland 2, Missions 1 (10): LHP Wandy Peralta moved his rehab to San Antonio, striking out a batter over a scoreless inning. He’s up to five strikeouts over 3⅓ scoreless innings as he builds up following his groin injury. LHP Austin Krob (4.46 ERA) struck out 10 and allowed one run on five hits and no walks in six innings in the no-decision. SS Ripken Reyes (.642 OPS) drove in the Missions’ lone run on his second homer.

HIGH SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (49-75)

TinCaps 10, Lansing 6: RHP Braden Nett (5-2, 4.31 ERA) struck out five and allowed a run on four hits and three walks in five innings in the win. C Ethan Salas (.614 OPS) went 2-for-5 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored. LF Tyler Robertson (.761 OPS) drove in three runs on four hits and 1B Devin Ortiz (.648 OPS) drove in two runs on four hits, including a double.

LOW SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (67-55)

Storm 6, Modesto 3: C Brendan Durfee (.916 OPS) went 1-for-4 with a double and three RBIs. DH Kai Roberts (.924 OPS) went 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored. RF Ryan Jackson (.840 OPS) went 1-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. RHP Xavier Ruiz (2.15 ERA) struck out two in a scoreless ninth for his eighth save.

Note: Triple-A El Paso was leading Tacoma 5-0 in the bottom of the second when the game was suspended for rain. Action will resume Saturday as part of a doubleheader.