Post-draft paths
differ in routes

Kea Kometani signed yesterday.

Steve Bryant will sign Tuesday.

Isaac Omura is waiting for Oakland to set up a meeting.

And Cody Allen meets with the Florida Marlins today.

So go the baseball fortunes of four players with island ties selected in the Major League Baseball 2005 First-Year Player Draft this past week.

Kometani, a 6-foot-4 senior right-hander from Pepperdine, reports to the Spokane Indians in the short-season Class A Northwest League on Wednesday. The league starts play June 21.

"I wasn't expecting a lot, but a couple of thousand dollars is better than nothing," said the Punahou alum, who was selected in the 15th round by the Texas Rangers. "I'm definitely excited about heading to Spokane and getting my professional career started."

Bryant, a 20th-round pick by the Oakland Athletics, will start his career in the same league. The former Hawaii Rainbow right-hander reports to the Vancouver Canadians on Tuesday.

"Oakland sent me a bunch of papers about minor league rules, but sent the contract to Vancouver," the four-time Western Athletic Conference pitcher of the week said. "I don't know what's in the contact, but I will sign because I want to play. I have no choice. Either I play or I hang them up and I don't want to do that."

Allen, a UH recruit from Elk Grove, Calif., is a third baseman and right-handed pitcher. He was taken in the 10th round by the Florida Marlins.

Omura, the 'Bows' first-team All-WAC second baseman, was a 17th-round pick by Oakland. He said the Athletics would get back to him this coming week.

Omura is still debating whether to leave tomorrow for his scheduled trip to Massachusetts, where he will play summer ball with the Cape Cod League's Orleans Cardinals.

Also:

» Iolani graduate Ian Mopas, a 26th-round (795th overall) pick by the Minnesota Twins, was surprised at how early he went.

"I was guessing it would be later on," said Mopas, a draft-and-follow choice. "I plan on going to junior college for a year and see what happens. To be considered pro material is kind of crazy."

"We thought Ian was one of the best, if not the best amateur player in Hawaii this year," said Minnesota scout Dan Cox, a 1991 Aiea graduate. "Myself and Eric Tokunaga (a Kansas City scout and Cox's cousin) were very high on Ian. I don't think anyone else liked him as much as us. It came down to which team beat the other to the punch (in the draft).

Cox is talking with junior college coaches in Southern California to find out which school would be the best fit for Mopas, a left-hander.

"We've gone heavy with high school players the last three years and are stockpiled with young players," said Cox. "I think JC ball will be a good transition for Ian.

"I want to tell you something about Ian. He doesn't get your attention by talking to him. He talks with his game. He is all business on the mound, takes the game seriously. Eric has worked with him extensively and deserves a lot of credit. It's unselfish on his part because he knows they (the Royals) only had one chance in 30 of drafting Ian."

» Saint Louis product Marc Nobriga, a 47th-round (1,411th overall) selection by the Texas Rangers, had an outstanding season in his first year pitching for Hartnell College in Salinas, Calif.

The right-hander was in 18 games, starting 13. He had nine complete games, a 10-3 record with four saves in 119 innings. Nobriga walked 30 and struck out 141.

He was named to the California Community College Baseball Coaches Association Northern Conference All-America team.

The Rangers have a packet of information in the mail for Nobriga, but "I'm definitely going back to school," he said. "I figure to get stronger and work on my stuff. I don't think I'm ready for pro ball yet, but I want that chance in the future."

Nobriga said he is comfortable being a draft-and-follow pick. That allows the Rangers to try to sign him next year after his JC season up to one week prior to the 2006 draft.

» Colby Summer is trying to interest scouts in watching him throw bullpen. The UH right-hander was taken in the 38th round by the Boston Red Sox in the 2004 draft, but not selected this year,

If Summer's showing is good enough and a team does not sign enough draft choices, then he might be offered a free-agent contract.

Note: There were 19 WAC players drafted this year. Rice led the way with seven, including Wade Townsend, who did not sign after being picked by Baltimore in 2004. Fresno State had four players taken, Nevada and San Jose State three and Hawaii two.