Quintin Torres-Costa, the Brewers’ 35th-round draft pick, made a dominant debut for Milwaukee’s Arizona Rookie League farm team Monday.
The former UH-Manoa left-hander and 2012 Waiakea graduate pitched three innings in relief and whiffed four against the AZL Angels. Torres-Costa gave up a run on two hits and no walks for the AZL Brewers, who opened their season on Saturday.
He signed for a $40,000 package, including a $20,000 signing bonus, according to his agent Dave Matranga, of PSI Sports, who represents a bunch of Hawaii players.
Matranga’s other clients are Kolten and Kean Wong, Kodi Medeiros, Jodd Carter, Jordan Yamamoto and Campbell High’s Ian Kahaloa, the Cincinnati Reds’ fifth-round pick.
Milwaukee’s Hawaii collection of pitchers — Torres-Costa, 2014 first-round pick Medeiros and 12th-round pick Yamamoto — could be competing for roster spots someday.
Medeiros, a 2014 Waiakea graduate, is pitching for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, a Low A farm club in the Midwest League. Medeiros is 3-2 with a 4.50 ERA in 60 innings. He has allowed 52 hits and 25 walks, and struck out 64.
In his last start on Friday, Medeiros pitched 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball against the Beloit Snappers (Oakland A’s) for the win. He allowed one hit and three walks, and whiffed seven.
Yamamoto, a Saint Louis graduate, was in extended spring training and recently assigned to Milwaukee’s other rookie league club, Helena, of the Pioneer League.
The right-hander made his debut on Thursday with four innings of three-run ball in a no-decision against the Missoula Osprey (Arizona Diamondbacks).
Carter, a 2014 Hilo graduate and 24th-round pick of the Indians, was assigned to Cleveland’s AZL farm team.
The 5-foot-10 outfielder got off to a hot start, batting 2 for 5 with two RBIs against the AZL Reds on Saturday, and 1 for 4 on Sunday. Carter, 18, was in extended spring training, which is similar to regular spring training with a daily routine filled with drills, workouts and scrimmages.
Players report to minor league camps in March competing for a roster spot on a full-season affiliate in Triple A, Double A, High A or Low A.
Those who don’t get assigned to a full-season farm team remain at extended spring training or are released.
The competition is an annual weeding out process because of the annual MLB draft every June. After players sign they are assigned to either a rookie league or a short-season A league.
The Indians drafted three outfielders: Ka’ai Tom, from the University of Kentucky, in the fifth round; Todd Isaacs, from a Florida junior college, in the 19th round; and Connor Marabell, from Jacksonville University, in the 25th round.
Tom, a Saint Louis graduate, signed for $250,000, under slot. The assigned value for the 154th overall pick was $338,700.
Tom, 21, and Marabell, 21, have been assigned to the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, a short-season A club in the New York-Pennsylvania League, reserved for college-age players.
Kean Wong is batting .286 with a homer, 24 RBIs, and has a .329 on-base percentage and .675 OPS in 56 games and 242 at-bats for the Tampa Bay Rays’ High A farm club, the Charlotte Stone Crabs of the Florida State League.
If Wong, 20, is promoted next year he would be at Double-A with the Montgomery Biscuits of the Southern League, two steps away from the big leagues.
