Ka‘aihue decides to
go pro with BoSox
Kala Ka'aihue, a Hawaii Rainbow recruit chosen by the Boston Red Sox in the 22nd round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft last week, has decided to forego college and start his professional career now.
The 6-foot-1, 225-pound catcher from Iolani signed with the Red Sox yesterday and received a bonus, incentives for advancement through the Boston system and money for a college education should he decide to go to school in the future.
"What I like about Kala is he calls his own pitches. Too many catchers today depend on the coaches. He showed he is a leader," said Boston scout Wally Komatsubara.
"For a high school boy, he is very mature. You can compare him with a college guy already. Physically, he is a man playing with kids," said Komatsubara.
Ka'aihue has been assigned to the Fort Myers (Fla.) Red Sox in the Gulf Coast League. This is the same league his brother, Kila, began his pro career last year after signing with Kansas City.
Justin Azze signed a contract with Baltimore on Sunday and will begin his professional career with the Sarasota (Fla.) Orioles also in the Gulf Coast League, a rookie circuit.
Azze was ineligible to play for Hawaii this spring after the NCAA Clearinghouse discovered he was a half-credit short on his high school transcript.
"The Orioles treated me very well. I got a very satisfactory bonus and they will pay for my future schooling," said Azze, a 6-3 left-hander selected in the seventh round.
"I'm excited to get out there and play. They are sending me to Sarasota to start so I can build up my arm strength. That shouldn't take more than three or four starts."
Jeffrey Pry Jr., a UH recruit from Portland, Ore., has what he described as a "tired arm" and is in a rehabilitation program. He was picked in the 17th round by the Cleveland Indians.
"The Indians have talked with me but there will be no negotiations until I'm healthy," said Pry, a 6-4 right-handed pitcher. "There is no time frame for that and it could last until the first day of classes at Hawaii."