3 former University of Hawaii baseball players, Kole Kaler, Alex Baeza and Dustin Demeter choose their next schools

Three former University of Hawaii baseball players have found new homes.

Shortstop Kole Kaler is transferring to Texas A&M, first baseman Alex Baeza is signing with Utah, and third baseman Dustin Demeter has committed to Oral Roberts. All were in the NCAA’s transfer portal.

In theory, all three will be graduate transfers, although the NCAA is allowing every Division I player to repeat this year’s class standing because of the pandemic and transfer without redshirting.

The commitments are considered backup plans if the players are not selected in the Major League Baseball draft, which begins on Sunday, or offered pro contracts.

Kaler, who hit .314 and led the Rainbow Warriors with 15 steals, also received offers from Oregon, Texas Tech and Alabama. But Kaler picked the Aggies after visiting the College Station, Texas, campus on Wednesday.

“When I went there, it was awesome,” Kaler said. “The facilities were unbelievable. The coaching staff was awesome. Coach (Jim) Schlossnagle was at TCU the last 10 years. I really got a connection with him. Coach (Michael) Earley, the hitting coach, I really got a connection with him, too.”

Kaler struggled as a freshman at South Mountain Community College and received tepid interest from four-year schools as a sophomore. But Mike Brown, who was UH’s associate coach at the time, showed strong interest. Kaler recalled Brown saying: “You can be a real player for me.”

Kaler is taking online classes and is set to earn a bachelor’s degree this summer. He said he decided to enter the portal after consulting with his family. “I loved it at Hawaii,” Kaler said. “I wouldn’t trade (the experience) for anything. I had two of the best years I could have hoped for there. I’m going to miss the people. I wish the Les (Murakami Stadium) would have been poppin’ like it was my real junior year (in 2020).”

Because of pandemic-related protocols, UH did not allow spectators this season except for a limited number of family members and close friends for the final home series.

Baeza will be reunited with Brown, who was hired as a Utah assistant coach/recruiting coordinator after not being retained when the ’Bows did not renew head coach Mike Trapasso last month. Baeza said the commute between his family’s Utah home and the Salt Lake City campus is about 20 minutes.

Baeza received interest from UC Irvine and Nevada. “I couldn’t get myself to say ‘no’ to going home,” said Baeza, who already earned a UH degree. Baeza’s younger brother, Danny, is a team manager for the Utes.

“The whole family will be together for my last year,” Baeza said.