The minor league baseball season gets under way tomorrow and players with ties to Hawai'i are scattered all over the continent with hopes of someday getting to the big leagues.

A total of 29 players are with major league-affiliated minor league clubs ranging from Low-A to Triple-A, from the Pacific Coast to the Eastern shore.

Pitcher Shane Komine (Kalani '98), who made his big league debut last summer with the Oakland Athletics, will start the season at Triple-A Sacramento. He will have company as his catcher will be Kurt Suzuki (Baldwin '01), who has made a natural progression without interruption since being a second-round pick by the Athletics in 2004 out of Cal State Fullerton. Suzuki, who went from rookie ball in 2004 to Single-A in 2005 and to Double-A last year, is being tabbed as the heir apparent to Jason Kendall, whose contract expires after this season.

"We have a veteran catcher in the big leagues so there's no point in having (Suzuki) in the big leagues and not playing everyday," said Eric Kubota, Oakland's director of scouting. "He's better off in Triple-A playing."

Meanwhile, others are trying to fight their way up. Former Hawai'i Rainbows shortstop Brian Finegan is back at High-A Kinston (N.C.), where he will learn to play second base.

"They said if l learn second base, it will help my chances," Finegan said. "It's something that needs to be done."

At least Finegan has an assignment. Four are in extended spring training and are perfectly healthy.

Former 'Bows Ricky Bauer (pitcher with the Giants) and catcher Esteban Lopez (catcher with the Dodgers), as well as Kamehameha alumnus Zach McAngus (infielder with the Brewers) and Mid-Pacific Institute graduate Patrick McGuigan (pitcher with the Blue Jays) all said they are awaiting assignments because they're caught in a numbers game.

"We're strong with pitching," McGuigan said.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.