The composition of the University of Hawaii baseball team could be affected with this week’s Major League Baseball draft.
The composition of the University of Hawaii baseball team could be affected with this week’s Major League Baseball draft.
The ‘Bows are awaiting: 1) how many of the nine signed recruits will be picked in the three-day, 40-round draft that begins Monday, and 2) of the chosen, who will accept a pro offer or enroll at UH in August.
“The draft is one of the more important things that determine the success of your program,” UH coach Mike Trapasso said. “This past year, we actually survived and kept a few guys from signing pro contracts. College athletics — and baseball, in particular — are about talent. The more talent you have, the more probability of success. In our sport, at the collegiate level, the draft is a significant factor in your talent acquisition. Good or bad, like it or not, that’s the way it is in our sport. We’ll see what happens this year.”
Trapasso said the hope is that players picked outside of the first 10 rounds will choose to honor UH commitments. The signing bonuses and a team’s long-term investment are considerably better for early-round selections. South Anchorage High shortstop Jonny Homza, who signed with UH in November, is expected to be picked early.
“He’s definitely somebody we’ll have to wait and see on,” Trapasso said of Homza, who also could fill the opening created with third baseman Josh Rojas’ graduation.
Three pitchers also are draft possibilities. Jeremy Yelland, a left-hander from Central Valley High in Spokane, Wash., can throw 91 mph and also play in the outfield. Right-hander Cade Smith of MEI Secondary in British Columbia, is 6 feet 5, 205 pounds and can throw 90-plus-mph fastballs. Austin Rubick of Ventura (Calif.) College can throw in the mid-90s, but struggled with his command this season. Trapasso said Rubick is “a wild card.”
Pitchers Scott Bellina of South Florida State College and Kyle Hatton of Riverside (Calif.) City College are long shots because of ailments. Bellina underwent Tommy John surgery for an elbow injury in January. He is expected to be ready for the start of the ‘Bows’ 2018 season. Hatton redshirted after experiencing elbow tendinitis.
As always, the ‘Bows technically over-signed with the anticipation that a couple of recruits will sign pro contracts. They have two contingency plans. The first is there are prospects in the wings if the ‘Bows lose too many recruits to the pros. The past two years, the ‘Bows added pitchers Brendan Hornung and Dominic DeMiero after the draft. Both were in this year’s starting rotation.
The ‘Bows also have worked out the capology numbers in case all nine recruits enroll at UH. The worst-case scenario — keeping scholarship money for all the recruits and returning players — is the “best scenario, too, because you’ve kept all the guys you’ve signed,” Trapasso said. If a recruit goes pro, his scholarship share could be used to increase another player’s portion or to bring in another recruit.
Trapasso is hopeful that four recent UH graduates will be drafted or receive free-agent offers. Outfielder Alex Fitchett, reliever Casey Ryan, Rojas and Hornung are considered the top pro prospects from the ‘Bows’ 2017 senior class.
Fitchett and Ryan had tryouts with major league teams. Rojas has received interest from several teams. Hornung is an intriguing prospect because he does not throw 90-92 mph regularly, several teams’ threshold for right-handed pitchers. But Hornung works hard and possesses dart-accuracy command (1.5 walks per nine innings; 5-to-1 ratio of strikeouts to walks).
“A lot of people will look at Brendan, and see the value of a guy who has a tremendous work ethic, understands how to pitch, and can help a team with young players,” Trapasso said. “He’s an organizational guy.”
UH right-handed pitcher Jackson Rees and first baseman Eric Ramirez are draft eligible after completing their junior years. Ramirez hit .221 during an injury-filled season.
“The one thing they say about the draft is it only takes one guy, one scout, to like you to get that opportunity,” Trapasso said.