[ MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL ]
5 with ties to UH are
chosen in MLB DraftThe total number of players with
island connections chosen reaches 13
Eight more players with Hawaii connections were picked yesterday on the second and final day of Major League Baseball's First-Year Player Draft, bringing the total to 13.
Most of yesterday's action revolved around the Hawaii Rainbows, who had three recruits and two players drafted.
The recruits were Myles Ioane, a left-handed pitcher from Waiakea taken in the 24th round by the Kansas City Royals; Kanekoa Texeira, a right-hander from Kamehameha selected in the 31st round by the Milwaukee Brewers; and Esteban Lopez, a catcher from Yavapai Junior College picked in the 48th round by the Philadelphia Phillies.
"I was really excited, but now I need to make a decision on whether to go college or play pro ball," said Ioane, who was 8-0 with a 0.78 ERA this year. He gave up 16 hits and seven walks while striking out 79 in 36 innings.
"My feelings are kind of equal for both (choices)," he said. "It's a really big decision. The Royals told me they are going to follow me this summer, see how I do and then make an offer."
Texeira, who was 5-3 with a 2.06 ERA his senior year, expected to be drafted. He is waiting to hear from Milwaukee officials about a meeting, but is leaning toward attending junior college, either San Mateo (Calif.) or Saddleback (Calif.) where Kamehameha Schools alumnus Jack Hodges is the head coach.
Lopez, who led Arizona junior colleges with 27 doubles and has excellent catch and throw skills from behind the plate, said the Phillies actually talked to him around the 15th round the first day of the draft.
"It didn't come out the way I wanted, but they said they will negotiate more," said Lopez. "Right now I'm leaning toward Hawaii. I'm excited to go there, liked what I saw there and I think it is a better fit for me."
The Phillies also drafted UH senior right-hander Clary Carlsen in the 33rd round and the Boston Red Sox took junior right-hander Colby Summer, who has yet to pitch an inning for the Rainbows.
The 6-foot-8 Summer had Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in 2003 and has been rehabilitating ever since. He finally saw action last week with the Aloha (Ore.) Knights of the Pacific International League. He thought there was a 50-50 chance he would be drafted.
"I've talked to several Boston scouts and they are going to make me a summer follow, see how I do and if they like what they see, make me an offer," Summer said. "That's the way I want it. I threw off the mound for the first time last Friday. I was able to strike out the first batter I faced in two years and that was a pretty nice feeling."
Carlsen became the second UH senior to be chosen. The right-hander was 6-8 with three complete games and a 5.03 earned run average in 2004.
"I'm excited. I just might come out of retirement," said the glib Carlsen who plans to sign with the Phillies.
"I'm going to sit down with them, work everything out, grab my plane ticket and head to Florida (where new players meet for a week before being assigned to a team). I'll take whatever they give me. I don't know if they need me as a bat boy or what."
The Rainbows had just five of their 22 recruits for 2005 drafted and Summer has eligibility remaining, so the waiting game begins for the UH coaching staff. UH head coach Mike Trapasso will breath a sigh of relief when each recruit shows up on campus in August and attends his first class.
"I think obviously a lot remains to be seen and we'll have to wait until the summer is over," Trapasso said. "Everything is still a work in progress because we have to wait and see what happens.
"I think it would be a mistake for someone (Ioane) drafted in the 24th round, especially a pitcher, to sign. But, each situation is based on the individual and they will have to make a choice as a family."
Beside Ioane, the Kansas City Royals selected Ty Sarchet, a right-hander from Kalani in the 44th round, Jacob Myking, a catcher from Kalaheo in the 45th round and Randy Rundgren, a shortstop from Mid-Pacific in the 46th round.
Rundgren was happy to be drafted but became concerned when the 40th round came.
"I was getting worried. I wasn't expecting anything after the 40th," said Rundgren, who said he is still leaning toward attending Sacramento City College and becoming a draft-and-follow choice.
"Keith Snider (Kansas City's area scout based in Stockton, Calif.) is trying to see if he can get all three of us into the same junior college, but nothing has been worked out yet."
Sarchet was shocked when he heard he was drafted.
"It was kind of unexpected although I thought there was a really small chance," said Sarchet, who has been accepted and plans to attend Chapman University in California. "Now I have to talk it over with my family and decide what is right for me. Junior college is a possibility."
UH recruits Greg Burns and James Parr, selected Monday in the third and fourth rounds by the Florida Marlins and Atlanta Braves, respectively, were still excited about their good fortune yesterday.
"I was attending my senior breakfast,' said Burns, a 6-4 outfielder with speed who hit .462 this year for Walnut High in Philips Ranch, Calif. "The call came at the end of the breakfast. When the Marlins told me I was picked in the third round, I thought they were lying because I did not expect to go that high. I was shocked, but happy."
Burns said no meeting has been scheduled with the Marlins, so he will wait to hear their offer and it will be a family decision.
Parr said his selection was a dream come true.
"The Braves called me a minute before my name was announced and said they would make me their third pick," said Parr, who was 17-0 his final two seasons and helped La Cuerva High (Albuquerque, N.M.) win 56 consecutive games.
"I haven't made my decision. The negotiations are still going on. Either way, it is a great situation for me."
"I was told there was a chance and to keep my fingers crossed," Myking said. "I was really surprised and I guess excited because this has always been a dream of mine."
He got the word while driving over the Pali after doing errands in town.
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Hawaii picks
Players with connections to the islands who were drafted in Major League Baseball's First-Year Player Draft:
*--UH recruit
PLAYER POS. SCHOOL ROUND NO. TEAM Kurt Suzuki c Baldwin/CSUF 2nd 67 A's Greg Burns* of Walnut H.S. 3rd 98 Marlins James Parr* rhp La Cuerva H.S. 4th 131 Braves Brian Finegan ss Hawaii 15th 437 Indians Milton Loo ss Molokai 17th 498 Reds Myles Ioane* lhp Waiakea 24th 715 Royals Kanekoa Texeira* rhp Kamehameha 31st 916 Brewers Clary Carlsen rhp Hawaii 33rd 992 Phillies Colby Summer rhp Hawaii 38th 1,145 Red Sox Ty Sarchet rhp Kalani 44th 1,312 Royals Jacob Myking c Kalaheo 45th 1,341 Royals Randy Rundgren ss Mid-Pacific 46th 1,370 Royals Esteban Lopez* c Yadapai JC 48th 1,434 Phillies
