MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
Antolin gets call from Blue Jays
The Mililiani pitcher is drafted by Toronto in the 11th round
Dustin Antolin was just easing out of bed this morning when he received a welcomed jolt.
The Mililani High School pitcher was the first Hawaii player taken in this year's Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, going to the Toronto Blue Jays in the 11th round with the 339th overall selection.
Antolin, a 6-foot-1 right-hander armed with a fastball clocked in the low-90s, became the first Mililani player to be selected in the draft and will likely sign with the Blue Jays.
"I'm excited and relieved that it's over with," said Antolin, who heard of his selection just after 6 this morning. "I knew I wasn't going to get picked on the first day so I wasn't really worried. It was early and I just heard my family yelling."
Eight players with Hawaii ties had been taken halfway through the 50-round draft. The first six rounds were held yesterday with the rest of the draft to be completed today.
The Blue Jays also selected University of Hawaii right-hander Matt Daly in the 13th round with the 399th pick. Daly, a junior, went 5-5 and led the Rainbows with 80 strikeouts this season.
Three Hawaii products were taken in the 16th round led by Baldwin graduate Derrick Saito. A junior left-handed pitcher at Cal Poly, Saito went to the Kansas City Royals with the 475th pick.
Kamehameha-Hawaii's Kolten Wong was picked by the Minnesota Twins at No. 486. Wong has signed with UH and was named the Star-Bulletin's co-Position Player of the Year as a catcher, but was drafted as a second baseman.
San Diego State shortstop Troy Hanzawa was picked by the Philadelphia Phillies at No. 496. The Mid-Pacific graduate began his college career at UH and hit a team-high .370 as a senior with the Aztecs.
Hawaii Pacific University left-hander Kaimi Mead was taken by the Cleveland Indians in the 18th round. The Roosevelt graduate was named the Pacific West Conference's Player and Pitcher of the Year after going 7-1 with a 2.25 earned-run average as a senior.
UH senior Jonathan Hee went to the Boston Red Sox in the 21st round at No. 652. The Mid-Pacific graduate was drafted as a second baseman.
Another Rainbow senior, outfielder Brandon Haislet, went to the Phillies in the 23rd round. Haislet hit a team-best .389 with seven home runs.
Aiea pitcher Randy Castillo was the third Hawaii high schooler to be drafted, going to the Seattle Mariners in the 31st round.