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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, April 6, 2008

HAWAII TIES TO MLB
Hawaii players shine in pro ball

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser
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Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Benny Agbayani

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Four players with ties to Hawai'i are on Major League Baseball rosters with seven others knocking on the door.

Of the 11, all are either born here or played their high school ball here. And the talent is spread among four islands.

Among Hawai'i's four big leaguers, two are starters. Kurt Suzuki (Baldwin '01) is the Oakland Athletics catcher and Shane Victorino (St. Anthony '99) is the center fielder for the Philadelphia Phillies. Both hail from Maui.

The other two big leaguers are relief pitchers Brandon League (Saint Louis '01) of the Toronto Blue Jays and Tyler Yates (Kaua'i '95), who was recently traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates from the Atlanta Braves.

Outfielder Benny Agbayani, a former major-league, Saint Louis and Hawai'i Pacific star, is playing for the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan.

There are seven players from the islands assigned at Triple-A, or a step away from the bigs. Left-handed pitcher Reid Santos (Castle '00) is the only one on his team's 40-man roster. He is ranked 29th in the Cleveland Indians' organization's top 30 prospects by Baseball America.

Others at Triple-A are pitcher Kea Kometani (Punahou '01) with Texas; pitcher Shane Komine (Kalani '98) with Oakland; shortstop Rex Rundgren (Mid-Pacific '99) with the Los Angeles Dodgers; outfielder Bronson Sardinha (Kamehameha '01) with Seattle; catcher Dane Sardinha (Kamehameha '97) with Detroit; and pitcher Brandon Villafuerte (Big Island-born) with Florida. Only Komine, the Sardinha brothers and Villafuerte have made big-league appearances since turning pro. Since the six are not on 40-man rosters, their contracts would have to be purchased by their respective parent clubs, if they are called up, whereas Santos can be recalled freely over the next three years because he is on the 40-man roster.

Four players, all of whom went to Hawai'i high schools, are in Double-A. Yet another Sardinha brother, Duke (Kamehameha '98), is with Colorado and Brandon Chaves (Hilo '97) is with Cleveland. Both are infielders.

Also in Double-A are brothers Kila ('Iolani '02) and Kala Ka'aihue ('Iolani '03). Both are first basemen. Kala is ranked 25th in the Atlanta Braves' organization's top 30 by Baseball America.

The players in Single-A are those drafted or signed as undrafted free agents within the last two years.

Pitcher Steven Wright is the highest assigned former Hawai'i Rainbow at High-A Kinston (N.C.). He was a second-round pick in 2006.

Three other former Rainbows are in Low-A in pitcher Tyler Davis ('06 to '07) and catchers Matt Inouye (Mid-Pacific '02 and '03 to '06) and Esteban Lopez ('05 to '06).

Rainbows drafted or signed last season — third baseman Justin Frash, first baseman Kris Sanchez and pitchers Ian Harrington and Mark Rodrigues — are in extended spring training.

Harrington said his chance of an assignment is if there is an injury or other players are released. Otherwise, it is back to short-season Single-A, which starts after the June draft.

Noticeably missing is Milton Loo (Moloka'i '04). He was drafted in the ninth round by Cincinnati in 2005 out of Yavapai JC, but signed before the 2006 draft as a draft-and-follow for $200,000. His only pro season was in 2006 in the rookie Gulf Coast League. Last year, he did not play and was placed on the restricted list by the Reds. The Reds' player development office said Friday he has quit.

After his stint in rookie ball, Baseball America listed Loo eighth in the Reds' organization. He turned 22 on Wednesday.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.

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