Don Choate

{{Short description|American baseball player (1938–2018)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Don Choate

|position=Pitcher

|image=Don Choate 1961.jpg

|caption=

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{Birth date|1938|7|2}}

|birth_place=Potosi, Missouri

|death_date= {{Death date and age|2018|2|4|1938|7|2}}

|death_place=Fairview Heights, Illinois

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=September 12

|debutyear=1960

|debutteam=San Francisco Giants

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=September 28

|finalyear=1960

|finalteam=San Francisco Giants

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Win–loss record

|stat1value=0–0

|stat2label=Earned run average

|stat2value=2.25

|stat3label=Innings pitched

|stat3value=8

|teams=

• San Francisco Giants (1960)

}}

Donald Leon Choate (July 2, 1938 – February 4, 2018) was an American professional baseball player. The right-handed pitcher appeared in four Major League games, all in relief, for the San Francisco Giants in {{Baseball year|1960}}. He stood {{convert|6|ft}} tall and weighed {{convert|185|lb}}.

Choate was originally signed by the St. Louis Cardinals, and posted a 19–8 record in his second professional season with the Class C Billings Mustangs in 1957.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=choate001don|title=Don Choate Minor Leagues Statistics & History - Baseball-Reference.com|website=Baseball-Reference.com}} After splitting the next year between Double-A and Triple-A Cardinal affiliates he was traded to Giants as a prospect as part of a major off-season trade that netted first baseman Bill White, future National League president, for the Redbirds. White became a star player — a five-time NL All Star and seven-time Gold Glove winner — as well as a team leader of the 1964 world champion Cardinals.

Choate's only Major League service came in September 1960 when he was recalled from the Triple-A Tacoma Giants. In eight MLB innings pitched, he gave up two earned runs, seven hits and four bases on balls, with seven strikeouts. He hurt his shoulder moving a cabinet out of spring training in 1961. The cabinet opened and caught him on his shoulder.