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Trio of UH commits picked on Day 3 of MLB draft

Billy Hull
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KAT WADE / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER
Punahou's #28 Marcus Doi slides into home plate to score when Punahou lost 7 to 0 during the game against Mid Pacific Academy at Hans L'Orange Park.
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BRUCE ASATO / BASATO@STARADVERTISER.COM
201ILH Baseball - Iolani baserunner Tanner Nishioka is tagged out at home by Saint Louis catcher Iolana Akau in the tenth inning of the Iolani vs Saint Louis baseball game at Ala Wai Field.

Mid-Pacific’s Marcus Doi, who was recently named the Star-Advertiser state player of the year, became the sixth University of Hawaii commit picked in the 2013 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft when the Chicago Cubs selected him in the 25th round (No. 738 overall) on Saturday.

Doi, who was listed as an outfielder, hit .423 (22-for-52) with three doubles and a triple in 19 games for the Owls, who won their first state championship since 2002.

He became the second MPI player taken after Isiah Kiner-Falefa was picked in the fourth round by the Texas Rangers on Friday.

Kiner-Falefa, who had committed to San Jose State, said Friday he will sign with the Rangers.

Saint Louis’ Iolana Akau, who like Doi was ranked as one of Baseball America’s top 400 prospects heading into the draft and signed with UH, was taken in the 20th round (No. 611) by the Oakland Athletics.

"I have no idea what I’m going to do yet," Akau said today. "It’s still a process and then I’ll sit down with my family in the next week or two and decide."

Earlier, first baseman David Denson of South Hills (Calif.) High, who committed to the Rainbows over a year ago but has yet to officially sign, was picked in the 15th round (No. 452 overall) by the Milwaukee Brewers.

Five of the eight players who signed with UH last fall have been drafted. LHP Blake Taylor of Dana Hills (Calif.) High went in the second round (No. 51) to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday and Waiakea’s Kean Wong was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the fourth round (No. 128) on Friday.

Campbell University’s Ben McQuown, who graduated from Waianae in 2008, was selected by the Athletics in the 30th round (No. 911).

McQuown hit .329 in his senior year with the Fighting Camels, who made the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history, and led the country with 54 stolen bases. He hit 11 doubles, four triples, four homers and scored 65 runs.

Hawaii Pacific had a player drafted for the second year in a row when Kailua High alumnus Kale Sumner, who was listed as a third baseman, was taken in the 32nd round (No. 974) by the New York Yankees.

Right-hander Akoni Arriaga, who also played shortstop at Baldwin High this season, was selected in the 35th round (No. 1,045) by the Toronto Blue Jays.

Maui High shortstop Mark Karaviotis, who signed to play at Oregon next year, was taken in the 39th round (No. 1,170) by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

UH failed to have a single player drafted for the first time since 2000. The Rainbows had 13 different players drafted over the previous four years.

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