Baseball America rated the 2014 University of Hawaii baseball recruiting class among the top 10 in the country last November.
The next three days will determine if it stays that way.
Five of the eight players that signed with the Rainbows expect their names to be called during the 2013 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft that begins at 1 p.m. today with the first two rounds.
Rounds 3-10 will take place Friday starting at 6:30 a.m. and the final 30 rounds will be held on Saturday beginning at 7 a.m.
UH signed five players ranked in Baseball America’s Top 500 prospects list, starting with left-hander Blake Taylor of Dana Hills (Calif.) High School.
POSSIBLE DRAFTEES
| Name |
School |
Position |
| *Iolana Akau |
Saint Louis School |
C |
| *Jake Bauers |
Marina (Calif.) High |
1B |
| *Marcus Doi |
Mid-Pacific Institute |
OF/C |
| Mark Karaviotis |
Maui High |
INF |
| Pi’ikea Kitamura |
University of Hawaii |
3B |
| Connor Little |
University of Hawaii |
RHP |
| Corey MacDonald |
University of Hawaii |
RHP |
| *Blake Taylor |
Dana Hills (Calif.) High |
LHP |
| *Kean Wong |
Waiakea High |
C/INF/OF |
*Signed with Hawaii
|
Taylor, who committed to UH late last summer, has risen to No. 55 on the list and is expected to be selected high enough that he’d likely sign and give up his college eligibility.
"I don’t think they’re going to get him," said Conor Glassey, an assistant editor for Baseball America who covers the West Coast. "He’s going to be a really good pick and when you’re a high school pitcher picked that high, it’s too risky to turn down the money associated with those picks."
UH has had a commitment from first baseman Jake Bauers since his sophomore season at Marina (Calif.) High, but he also has risen in the rankings.
Bauers is ranked as the No. 173 overall prospect, projecting as a fifth- or sixth-round pick.
He hit better than .500 his senior season with 11 homers and led Marina High to the championship game of the CIF Southern Section playoffs.
"Scouts always really liked his bat because he’s got some power potential and he made some noise taking his team deep into the playoffs," Glassey said. "On top of that, he’s one of the youngest players in this class and scouts like that because you can dream on him a little more."
Those are the two big mainland signees for the Rainbows, who also swiped up the top local talent.
All three high schoolers from Hawaii ranked in the top 500 signed with UH.
Waiakea’s Kean Wong, whose brother Kolten was the No. 22 overall pick with the Saint Louis Cardinals two years ago, is the top player ranked from Hawaii at No. 219.
Saint Louis catcher Iolana Akau is ranked No. 339 despite missing part of the season with a thumb injury, and Mid-Pacific’s Marcus Doi, who was named the all-state player of the year on Sunday, is slotted at No. 388.
Three players from Hawaii have been drafted in the top 500 picks out of high school only once since 1999.
Mililani’s Keanu Carmichael (No. 192 overall), Pearl City’s Chace Numata (No. 441) and Campbell’s Charles Kaalekahi (No. 462) were all drafted in 2010.
"I know scouts and cross-checkers were excited last summer when they figured out there was some premium talent out there," Glassey said. "It’s a really good group, considering that you don’t usually see that many good high school players in the class."
Baseball America also listed Maui High’s Mark Karaviotis, who has committed to Oregon, as a potential draft pick.
Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso will likely have all of his returnees back for next season as it’s unlikely any Rainbows with eligibility remaining will be taken.
Recent graduates Pi‘ikea Kitamura, Corey MacDonald and Connor Little have outside shots at being selected.
Little was drafted in the 49th round by the Florida Marlins in 2011 after his junior year.
At least one Rainbow has been picked each year since 2000.
