Monday, June 1, 1998
Amateur Free-Agent Draft
Draft history gives
Hawaii players hope
Players with island ties
By Al Chase
have been picked in all but two
of the 33 drafts
Star-BulletinJoe Stephenson, a former major league scout, once described the annual free-agent draft as the "4-H Club."
"You hope you find a prospect. You hope you get him in the draft. You hope you can sign him. And you hope he can play," Stephenson said.
In 1964, major league baseball owners decided the bonus money being paid to raw recruits was getting out of hand.
The exorbitant bonus ($205,000) California Angeles owner Gene Autry paid to Rick Reichardt, a football and baseball standout at the University of Wisconsin, convinced owners a change was necessary.
Some teams were spending more money signing unproven talent than they were on their major-league payroll.
Every team bid for Reichardt's services in 1964. Part of his deal with the Angels was that he would play for the Pacific Coast League's Hawaii Islanders that season.
The first draft was held in 1965 and lasted two days. The 1998 draft starts tomorrow and is scheduled for three days.
There have been 33 amateur free-agent drafts, and with the exception of 1967 and 1969, at least one player with Hawaii ties has been selected each year.
Forty-eight Hawaii high school players have been selected following their senior year. Twenty-five didn't sign pro contracts. Six were drafted again while in college and five signed. Ian Perio, a left-handed pitcher from Castle High School, is still in college.
Of the 23 who signed out of high school, three made it to the major leagues -- Doug Capilla (Kailua), Joey DeSa (Damien) and Sid Fernandez (Kaiser).
Forty-five players who played prep ball in Hawaii have been drafted out of a junior college or a four-year institution. Five -- Lenn Sakata, Scott Loucks, Carlos Diaz, Joey Meyer and Mike Fetters -- spent time in the big leagues.
Sixteen mainland players drafted out of high school -- 15 from the University of Hawaii and one from Hawaii Pacific University -- were selected again as collegians.
Twenty-one mainland players not drafted out of high school -- 20 from UH and one from HPU -- were picked as collegians.
Of the 16 Hawaii players eligible to be drafted who competed at the major-league level, only pitchers Ryan Kurosaki and Fred Kuhaulua started out by signing as free agents.
Seven of the remaining 14 major leaguers are out of UH.
Of the players with Hawaii ties, UH right-handed pitcher Mike Campbell went the highest -- seventh overall in the first round of the 1985 draft by the Seattle Mariners.
Punahou leads Hawaii high schools in number of players drafted (10), but none signed before going to college.
Kailua High School and Kamehameha are next with nine. Kaiser and St. Louis have had six and Baldwin and Waipahu five.
The Milwaukee Brewers have drafted 28 players with Hawaii ties and were able to sign all but two.
The Anaheim Angels have drafted 12 players from Hawaii, the Seattle Mariners eight and the St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, Oakland Athletics and Los Angeles Dodgers seven apiece.
There have been 135 players with Hawaii ties selected in the major league amateur free-agent drafts from 1985 to 1997. ALL-TIME HAWAII DRAFT LIST
Every major league team with the exception of the expansion Tampa Bay Devil Rays has selected at least one Hawaii player.
The following list includes the name, position, high school or college (with high school attended), round selected, team and whether they signed or not (DNS) for each Hawaii player picked.
1965
Summer, regular phase
Harold Joyce, outfielder, Kaimuki, 15th round, Cleveland (signed).
Kenneth Suzawa, left-handed pitcher, Baldwin, 21st round, Cleveland (DNS).
Winter, secondary phase
Kenneth Suzawa, left-handed pitcher, Fresno City College, 4th round, California (DNS).
None
Summer, regular phase
Keith Kasparovitch, left-handed pitcher, Punahou, 34th round, Detroit (DNS).
John Cabral, left-handed pitcher, Kaimuki, 35th round, Detroit (DNS).
None
Winter, secondary phase
Kenneth Suzawa, left-handed pitcher, Baldwin, 4th round, Bend (Ore.) Rainbows (DNS).
Summer, regular phase
Doug Capilla, left-handed pitcher, Westmont (Calif.) HS (Kailua), 25th round, San Francisco (signed).
Summer, regular phase
Milton Holt, left-handed pitcher, Andover Academy (Kamehameha), 37th round, St. Louis (DNS).
Summer, regular phase
Lenn Sakata, infielder, Treasure Valley C.C. (Kalani), 14th round, San Francisco (DNS).
Ben Castillo, right-handed pitcher, Iolani, 15th round, Cincinnati (signed).
Michael Gipaya, left-handed pitcher, St. Louis, 15th round, Pittsburgh (signed).
Summer, regular phase
Elgin Battles, right-handed pitcher, Waianae, 24th round, Montreal (signed).
Gerald Ako, right-handed pitcher, Aiea, 35th round, St. Louis (DNS).
Kenneth Wright, right-handed pitcher, Kailua, 44th round, Kansas City (signed).
Summer, regular phase
Lenn Sakata, second baseman, Gonzaga (Kalani), 5th round, San Diego (DNS).
Russ Francis, right-handed pitcher, U. Oregon (Kailua), 9th round, Kansas City (DNS).
Nolan Ramirez, shortstop, Whittier College (Punahou), 15th round, Oakland (signed).
Thomas Valdes, left-handed pitcher, Baldwin, 29th round, St. Louis (signed).
Randy Toogood, catcher, Kailua, 36th round, Montreal (DNS).
Winter, secondary phase
Lenn Sakata, second baseman, Gonzaga (Kalani), 1st round, Milwaukee (signed).
Summer, regular phase
Tom Bhagwat, outfielder, U. Hawaii, 9th round, San Francisco (signed).
Darwin Luna, right-handed pitcher, St. Louis, 9th round, Baltimore (signed).
George Shuford, outfielder, Kailua, 31st round, St. Louis (signed).
Robert Ehrig, catcher, U. of Hawaii, 33rd round, Baltimore (signed).
Summer, regular phase
Derek Tatsuno, left-handed pitcher, Aiea, 12th round, Cincinnati (DNS).
Summer, regular phase
Joey DeSa, first baseman, Damien, 3rd round, St. Louis (signed).
Scott Loucks, outfielder, SE Oklahoma St. (Leilehua), 5th round, Houston (signed).
Gerald Ako, right-handed pitcher, U. Hawaii (Aiea), 8th round, Kansas City (signed).
Paul Mize, shortstop, U. Hawaii, 14th round, Oakland (signed).
Vaughn Yadao, left-handed pitcher, McKinley, 36th round, St. Louis (signed).
Summer, regular phase
Richard Olsen, right-handed pitcher, U. Hawaii (Kailua), 4th round, Milwaukee (signed).
Dean Hall, first baseman, U. Hawaii, 18th round, Milwaukee (signed).
Les Kakazu, third baseman, Waipahu, 26th round, St. Louis (DNS).
Winter, regular phase
Carlos Diaz, left-handed pitcher, Hancock J.C. (Castle), 3rd round, Seattle (DNS).
Summer, regular phase
Derek Tatsuno, left-handed pitcher, U. Hawaii, 2nd round, San Diego (DNS).
Jon Hansen, outfielder, U. Hawaii, 3rd round, Milwaukee (signed).
Vern Ramie, outfielder, U. Hawaii (Kamehameha), 12th round, Toronto Blue (signed).
David "Boy" Eldredge, catcher, Punahou, 27th round, Cincinnati (DNS).
Summer, secondary phase
Carlos Diaz, left-handed pitcher, Hancock J.C. (Castle), 1st round, Seattle (signed).
Winter, regular phase
Curt Watanabe, third baseman, U. Hawaii (Waipahu), 7th round, Milwaukee (signed).
Garrett Nago, catcher, Pima C.C. (Pearl City), 8th round, Milwaukee (DNS).
Winter, secondary phase
Derek Tatsuno, left-handed pitcher, 2nd round, Chicago White Sox (DNS).
Summer, regular phase
Kevin Williams, outfielder, U. Hawaii, 11th round, Minnesota (signed).
Rick Bass, outfielder, U. Hawaii, 17th round, Milwaukee (signed).
Alan Maria, left-handed pitcher, Pan American U. (Waipahu), 18th round, N.Y. Mets (DNS).
David Wong, right-handed pitcher, Willamette (Damien), 19th round, Kansas City (signed).
Summer, secondary phase
Garrett Nago, catcher, Pima C.C. (Pearl City), 2nd round, Milwaukee (DNS).
Derek Tatsuno, left-handed pitcher, 3rd round, N.Y. Mets (DNS).
Winter, secondary phase
Derek Tatsuno, left-handed pitcher, 2nd round, Cincinnati (DNS).
Summer, regular phase
Scott Roberts, right-handed pitcher, U. Hawaii, 2nd round, Milwaukee (signed).
Sid Fernandez, left-handed pitcher, Kaiser, 3rd round, Los Angeles (signed)
Collin Tanabe, catcher, U. Hawaii (Roosevelt), 5th round, Milwaukee (signed).
Joey Meyer, first baseman, Punahou, 8th round, California (DNS).
Thad Reece, infielder, U. Hawaii, 17th round, Oakland (signed).
Gary DeSa, shortstop, Damien, 33rd round, Cincinnati (signed).
Winter, regular phase
Derek Tatsuno, left-handed pitcher, 1st round, Milwaukee (signed).
Summer, regular phase
Bryan Duquette, left-handed pitcher, U. Hawaii, 2nd round, Milwaukee (signed).
Chuck Crim, right-handed pitcher, U. Hawaii, 17th round, Milwaukee (signed).
Peter Kendrick, left-handed pitcher, Brigham Young (Radford), 19th round, Oakland (signed).
Winter, regular phase
Keith Komeiji, catcher, Orange Coast C.C. (Kaiser), 1st round, Seattle (signed).
Dan Sheeley, right-handed pitcher, Crowder (Mo.) J.C. (Radford), 1st round, Philadelphia (DNS).
Summer, regular phase
Glenn Braggs, outfielder, U. Hawaii, 2nd round, Milwaukee (signed).
Mitchell Moran, outfielder, Pan American U. (Waipahu), 3rd round, Los Angeles (signed).
Joey Meyer, first baseman, U. Hawaii (Punahou), 5th round, Milwaukee (signed).
Derek Diaz, right-handed pitcher, UH-Hilo (Baldwin), 8th round, Milwaukee (signed).
Scott Sadler, right-handed pitcher, (Radford), 11th round, Detroit (DNS).
Terry Derby, outfielder, U. Hawaii (Pearl City), 16th round, Milwaukee (signed).
Mike Fetters, right-handed pitcher, Iolani, 22nd round, Los Angeles (DNS).
Danny Kapea, left-handed pitcher, Waipahu, 30th round, Los Angeles (DNS).
Summer, regular phase
Chuck Jackson, outfielder, U. Hawaii, 7th round, Houston (signed).
Bob Siegel, right-handed pitcher, U. Hawaii, 8th round, Seattle (signed).
Joel Lono, left-handed pitcher, U. Hawaii (Kamehameha), 12th round, Cincinnati (signed).
Lance Belen, first baseman, U. Hawaii (Kaiser), 12th round, Pittsburgh (signed).
John Keao, right-handed pitcher, Waialua, 24th round, Milwaukee (DNS).
Regular phase
Mike Campbell, right-handed pitcher, U. Hawaii, 1st round, Seattle (signed).
David Masters, right-handed pitcher, California (Iolani), 1st round, Chicago Cubs (signed).
Greg Burlingame, left-handed pitcher, U. Hawaii, 4th round, San Diego (DNS).
Mario Monico, outfielder, U. Hawaii (Farrington), 12th round, Milwaukee (signed).
Bob Collum, third baseman, U. Hawaii, 16th round, Milwaukee (DNS).
Bruce Walton, right-handed pitcher, U. Hawaii, 16th round, Oakland (signed).
Winter, regular phase
Danny Kapea, left-handed pitcher, Central Arizona J.C. (Waipahu), 5th round, Seattle (selection later voided).
Summer, regular phase
Mike Fetters, right-handed pitcher, Pepperdine (Iolani), 1st round, California (signed).
Todd Crosby, infielder, U. Hawaii, 5th round, Philadelphia Phillies (signed).
Mark Beavers, left-handed pitcher, Brigham Young (Punahou), 14th round. Oakland Athletics (signed).
Shane Ogawa, right-handed pitcher, Hilo, 15th round, Milwaukee Brewers (signed).
Greg Burlingame, left-handed pitcher, U. Hawaii, 31st round Chicago Cubs (DNS).
Phil Williams, catcher, U. Hawaii, 43rd round, Baltimore Orioles (signed).
Summer, secondary phase (June 2-4)
Mike Reitzel, left-handed pitcher, U. Hawaii, 2nd round, Chicago Cubs (DNS).
Paul Brown, left-handed pitcher, U. Hawaii, 2nd round, Boston (signed).
Carl Keliipuleole, right-handed pitcher, Brigham Young (Kamehameha) 4th round, Cleveland (signed).
Dan Nyssen, outfielder, U. Hawaii, 7th round, Houston (signed).
Markus Owens, third baseman-catcher, U. Hawaii, 19th round, San Francisco (signed).
Greg Burlingame, left-handed pitcher, U. Hawaii, 24th round, Seattle (signed).
Joey Vierra, left-handed pitcher, U. Hawaii (St. Louis), 31st round, Cincinnati (signed).
Danny Kapea, left-handed pitcher, U. Hawaii (Waipahu), 11th round, Milwaukee (signed).
Carl Fraticelli, second baseman, Loyola Marymount (Kalaheo), 19th round, Minnesota (signed).
Larry Gonzales, catcher, U. Hawaii, 22nd round, California (signed).
Robert Muhammad, outfielder, U. Hawaii, 22nd round, Milwaukee (signed).
Scott Craven, third baseman, Punahou, 42nd round, Milwaukee (DNS).
Steve Morris, outfielder, U. Hawaii, 35th round, Minnesota (signed).
Brant McCreadie, right-handed pitcher, Kaiser, 8th round, Milwaukee (signed).
Mike House, first baseman, Hawaii Pacific U., 18th round, Minnesota (signed).
Kalani Bush, right-handed pitcher, Loyola Marymount (Kalaheo), 24th round, Chicago Cubs (signed).
Rocky Ynclan, right-handed pitcher, U. Hawaii, 32nd round, Milwaukee (signed).
Brian Souza, right-handed pitcher, U. Hawaii (Kamehameha), 11th round, Milwaukee (signed).
Kekoa Kaluhiokalani, right-handed pitcher, Waianae, 13th round, Seattle (DNS).
Jamie Daspit, right-handed pitcher, Cal State Sacramento (St. Louis), 14th round, Los Angeles (signed).
Mike DeKneef, infielder, Lewis-Clark State (Pearl City, Hawaii Pacific), 17th round, Boston (signed).
Britt Craven, right-handed pitcher, Pepperdine (Hawaii Prep), 25th round, California (signed).
Louis Pakele, right-handed pitcher, Hawaii-Hilo (Waianae), 31st round, California (signed).
Jeff Ball, right-handed pitcher, U. Hawaii (Kailua), 33rd round, California (signed).
Tim Albert, outfielder, U. Hawaii, 18th round, Milwaukee (signed).
Mark Stillwell, first baseman, Kaiser, 22nd round, Milwaukee (signed).
Cliff Jones, left-handed pitcher, Hawaii Pacific, 23rd round, N.Y. Mets (signed).
Levon Largusa, left-handed pitcher, U. Hawaii, 4th round, Toronto (signed).
Scott Karl, left-handed pitcher, U. Hawaii, 6th round, Milwaukee (signed).
Kekoa Dafun, right-handed pitcher, Baldwin, 21st round, California (signed).
Benny Agbayani, outfielder, Hawaii Pacific (St. Louis), 28th round, California (DNS).
Jay Holland, right-handed pitcher, U. Hawaii, 32nd round, Colorado (signed).
Bill Blanchette, left-handed pitcher, U. Hawaii (Punahou), 43rd round, California (signed).
Larry Ephan, catcher, Lewis-Clark State (Waimea), 47th round, Texas (DNS).
Brad Buenconsejo, right-handed pitcher, Hawaii Pacific (Hawaii Baptist), 48th round, California (DNS).
Matt Apana, right-handed pitcher, U. Hawaii (Roosevelt), 22nd round, Seattle (signed).
Larry Ephan, catcher, Hawaii Pacific (Waimea), 25th round, Texas (signed).
Benny Agbayani, outfielder, Hawaii Pacific (St. Louis), 30th round, N.Y. Mets (signed).
Keith Luuloa, infielder, Modesto J.C. (Molokai), 30th round, California (signed).
Kenny Harrison, catcher/outfielder, U. Hawaii (University High), 33rd round, Minnesota (DNS).
John Halemanu, infielder, Mission Col. (Kaiser), 38th round, Houston (signed).
Bobby Moore, right-handed pitcher, U. Hawaii. 16th round, Boston (DNS).
Kahi Villa, outfielder, Kamehameha, 16th round, Toronto (signed).
Shawn Rogers, outfielder, U. Hawaii, 22nd round, Boston (DNS).
Nathan Starkey, third baseman/catcher, Molokai, 23 round, California (signed).
Joseph Correia, left-handed pitcher, St. Louis, 33rd round, Minnesota (signed).
Jesse Brown, right-handed pitcher, Kalaheo, 37th round, Texas (DNS).
Tyler Cheff, catcher, U. Hawaii, 53rd round, Cleveland (signed).
Onan Masaoka, left-handed pitcher, Waiakea, 3rd round, Los Angeles (signed).
Jeff Martin, right-handed pitcher, Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (Kailua), 8th round, Kansas City (signed).
Jason Ross, outfielder, U. Hawaii, 11th round, Florida (DNS).
Bobby Moore, right-handed pitcher, U. Hawaii. 23rd round, Texas (signed).
Ken Morimoto, infielder, Hawaii-Hilo (Waimea), 28th round, Los Angeles (signed).
Kyle Kawabata, right-handed pitcher, Washington State (Kailua), 30th round, Philadelphia (signed).
Mark Johnson, right-handed pitcher, U. Hawaii, 1st round, Houston (signed).
Orin Kawahara, right-handed pitcher, Rancho Santiago J.C. (Baldwin), 13th round, Seattle (signed).
Jason Ross, outfielder, U. Hawaii, 13th round, Atlanta (signed).
Kaipo Spenser, right-handed pitcher, Arizona State (St. Anthony), 16th round, Cleveland (signed).
Paul Ah Yat, left-handed pitcher, U. Hawaii (Iolani), 21st round, Pittsburgh (signed).
Michael McCutcheon, right-handed pitcher, Molokai, 23 round, Arizona (signed).
Makani Lum, outfielder, Kamehameha, 31st round, Pittsburgh (DNS).
Ian Perio, left-handed pitcher, Castle, 35th round, Oakland (DNS).
Billy Pieper, third baseman, Kamehameha, 44th round, N.Y. Yankees (DNS).
Chris "Buster" Small, catcher, Punahou, 84th round, N.Y. Yankees (DNS).
Dane Sardinha, catcher, Kamehameha, 2nd round, Kansas City (DNS).
Jay Spurgeon, right-handed pitcher, U. Hawaii, 8th round, Baltimore (signed).
Justin Wayne, right-handed pitcher, Punahou, 9th round, Boston (DNS).
Scott "Scooter" Martines, first baseman, Punahou, 31st round, Detroit (DNS).
Ian Perio, left-handed pitcher, Laney College (Castle), 33rd round, Oakland (DNS).
John Kekoa Colon, right-handed pitcher, Molokai, 38th round, Houston (DNS).
Robert Medeiros, outfielder, U. Hawaii (Hilo), 38th round, Atlanta (DNS).
The secondary phases were for players previously drafted who did not sign.
Compiled by Al Chase
