University of Hawaii baseball team lands highly rated Seattle shortstop

A highly regarded high school shortstop from Seattle has decided to accept a scholarship offer from the University of Hawaii baseball team.

“For sure,” said Kenji Suzuki, an Eastside Catholic High senior who plans to put his commitment in writing on Nov. 13, the first day of the early-signing period for NCAA baseball prospects.

By pledging to the Rainbow Warriors, Suzuki is rescinding a scholarship commitment he made to Clemson prior to his freshman year at Eastside Catholic. Suzuki also made unofficial visits to Arizona, Missouri, Mississippi and Auburn before choosing the ’Bows.

Suzuki and UH starting pitcher Aaron Davenport are close friends. “He spoke nothing but great things (about UH),” Suzuki said. “That was always a thing in my head, that Hawaii’s a really cool place. I was committed to Clemson, so I wasn’t really thinking about that. But things change.”

Suzuki said he was impressed with the UH program after meeting head coach Mike Trapasso and his assistant coaches during an unofficial visit.

“After meeting Coach Trap, it was a no-brainer,” Suzuki said. “With Hawaii, it’s such a special place. My friend (Damien Memorial School shortstop) Jordan Donahue is from there, and he had nothing but great things to say. That’s what I want. Something like that, surrounded by good people that truly care.”

Suzuki, who began playing baseball when he was 4, batted .430 for Eastside the past season. He also has starred in several tournaments. Perfect Game gave Suzuki a rating of 9 (on a scale of 10), which equates to “highest level” college player or potential draft selection in the top 10 rounds. Perfect Game measured the exit velocity off his bat at a maximum 86 mph.

Suzuki’s ancestry is a mixture of Japanese, German, Irish and British. His grandfather, whose name was changed from Yutaka to James following World War II, wanted Suzuki to be given a Japanese name. “To carry that on and not really forget,” Suzuki said of his Japanese ancestry. “It’s a little bit ironic because I have blue eyes.”

Suzuki said he has several relatives who used to live in Hawaii. “After going down there, that’s the place I want to be,” said Suzuki, who plans to major in business. “I’m set on that.”