Former University of Hawaii pitcher Steven Wright was called up by the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday, becoming the first ex-Rainbow to make the big leagues since Dusty Bergman in 2004.
Wright broke the news early Tuesday morning on his Twitter account, writing, "I’m going to the big leagues!!!! I’m so honored and blessed beyond belief… Very exciting time for me and my family!!! Thank you Lord!!"
He is the first Rainbow to play for current coach Mike Trapasso to make a major league team.
"We’re really happy for Steven," said Trapasso, who was college teammates with current Red Sox manager John Farrell at Oklahoma State. "He’s grinded it out through about six or seven years and completely changed himself from a power pitcher to a knuckleballer."
Wright was 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA in two starts for Pawtucket this season.
He is one of five former Rainbows to start the year at the Triple-A level.
"I’m hoping Steven is the first of about five or six guys over the next year that we’ll end up watching in the big leagues and I think that’s going to be real fun," Trapasso said.
Wright pitched for the Rainbows from 2004 to ’06 and was named a second-team All-American his junior season by Baseball America.
He was called up when the Red Sox placed closer Joel Hanrahan on the 15-day disabled list.
He was selected in the second round (No. 56 overall) of the 2006 MLB Draft by the Cleveland Indians and spent six seasons in their minor league system.
Wright was dealt to the Red Sox organization at the trade deadline in 2012.
Wright became a knuckleball pitcher in 2011.
He was a teammate at Pawtucket with former Rainbows middle infielder Jon Hee, who played in two games before he was recently placed on the seven-day disabled list.
Two other UH alumni playing together are shortstop Greg Garcia and second baseman Kolten Wong at Triple-A Memphis in the St. Louis Cardinals’ minor league organization.
Catcher David Freitas, who spent one season with the Rainbows in 2010, played in two games for the Oakland Athletics’ Triple-A club before he was sent down to Double-A.
Kauai’s Kirby Yates is currently pitching for Triple-A Durham in the Tampa Bay Rays’ minor league system and ‘Iolani alumnus Kila Ka’aihue is the starting first baseman for Triple-A Reno of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
