Kodi Medeiros’ workout with the Milwaukee Brewers last week paid off.
His performance convinced the Brewers to select the 18-year-old Waiakea High graduate with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2014 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Thursday.
The 6-foot-1, left-handed pitcher is the second-highest pick from Hawaii ever, trailing only Punahou and Stanford alumnus Justin Wayne, who was taken fifth overall by the Montreal Expos in 2000.
Medeiros was one of seven high school players invited to attend the draft in Secaucus, N.J., and shook the hand of MLB commissioner Bud Selig after his selection.
"It’s just a dream come true," Medeiros told the MLB Network. "All of the hard work and sacrifices and all of the help from my family and everyone else along the way has just paid off."
Medeiros is the second first-round pick from the Big Island in the past three years, joining current Saint Louis Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong, who was taken No. 22 overall in 2011.
Concerns about Medeiros’ pitching motion were erased during a workout in Milwaukee last week, which convinced the Brewers to make him the fourth high school pitcher selected.
Milwaukee took Medeiros five spots ahead of the Kansas City Royals, who were linked the most to Medeiros leading up to the draft.
Slot value for the 12th overall pick is listed at $2,805,7000 compared to the $2,200,600 that goes with the 17th pick.
While those aren’t exact values players will ultimately sign for, it makes it extremely unlikely Medeiros will attend Pepperdine, where he signed in the fall.
Medeiros has been on the mainland for more than a week working out for various teams.
"It was a little overwhelming flying from place to place, but it paid off and I’m happy," Medeiros said on the telecast.
No team has drafted more players with local ties than the Brewers, whose previous selections include Lenn Sakata (1975), Derek Tatsuno (1982), Glenn Braggs and Joey Meyer (1983) and Scott Karl (1992).
Medeiros is the fourth Waiakea alumnus drafted, joining Kean Wong (2013), Myles Ioane (2004) and Onan Masaoka (1995).
Current Houston Astros pitcher Jerome Williams (Waipahu) and former New York Yankees infielder Bronson Sardinha (Kamehameha) are the only other first-round picks from Hawaii taken directly out of high school.
MLB.com listed Medeiros as the No. 29 overall prospect.
FIRST-ROUND PICKS FROM LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS
NAME |
SCHOOL |
YEAR |
POS. |
OVERALL |
TEAM |
Justin Wayne |
Stanford (Punahou) |
2000 |
RHP |
5 |
Expos |
Kodi Medeiros |
Waiakea |
2014 |
LHP |
12 |
Brewers |
Kolten Wong |
Hawaii (KS-Hawaii) |
2011 |
INF |
22 |
Cardinals |
David Masters |
California (‘Iolani) |
1985 |
RHP |
24 |
Cubs |
Mike Fetters |
Pepperdine (‘Iolani) |
1986 |
RHP |
27 |
Angels |
Bronson Sardinha |
Kamehameha |
2001 |
INF |
34 |
Yankees |
Jerome Williams |
Waipahu |
1999 |
RHP |
39 |
Giants |
|