Baseball
Players show their stuff at Braves tryout camp


Stacy Kaneshiro | ScoringLive
June 29, 2018, 7:28pm

 



MILILANI — Some 50 baseball players were looking to prove themselves and improve their game at the fourth annual Atlanta Braves Tryout Camp Friday at Mililani High School's baseball field.

The field was made up mostly of high school and college players.

Some like Damien shortstop Jordan Donahue, the reigning All-Hawaii Baseball Division II Player of the Year, was among those trying to prove he is ready for the next level while still finding room to get better.

"It's a good opportunity to just come out here, just show our talent, show what Hawaii has," the junior-to-be said. "It's great. Just make the best of it. I'm just trying to get better at everything, not one specific thing. Just getting better mentally, physically and getting stronger."

Donahue has been around baseball his whole life. His coach at Damien is his father Timo who played in the Cleveland Indians organization after playing collegiately at Washington. Jordan's brother Christian signed last August with the Chicago Cubs as a free agent. Christian is playing at South Bend, Indiana, of the Class-A Midwest League.

"My brother is a very good influence on me," Jordan said. "We talk about hitting, defense, everything and about life in general. We have a good relationship."

Jordan is mulling offers from Washington, Washington State, Oregon, Oregon State and schools from California, he said.

Hoping to make a return to pro ball is pitcher Ian Kahaloa, who was a fifth-round draft pick out of Campbell High in 2015 by the Cincinnati Reds. The 2015 All-Hawaii Baseball Division I Player of the Year was released by the Reds in Aug. 2017 following a 50-game drug suspension. He said he has since cleaned up his act but added he cannot sign as a free agent until near the end of the year because he is technically still suspended by Major League Baseball.

"Live and learn," he said of his past woes.

Despite being out of pro ball since 2016, Kahaloa still touched 92 mph at the tryout and sat in the 89–90 mph range.

"I wasn't trying to overpower anything," he said of the tryout stint. "I was just trying to throw strikes."

He was genuinley surprised when told he touched 92 mph.

"For real?" he said. "I'm just trying to get (the pitch) over the plate."

He said he will continue to train until his MLB suspension ends.

Braves Area Scout Dan Cox (left) with Waipahu '17 grad Kobie Russell (right), a 17th-round draft pick in 2017 who opted to attend college at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. Spencer Honda | SL Braves Area Scout Dan Cox (left) with Waipahu '17 grad Kobie Russell (right), a 17th-round draft pick in 2017 who opted to attend college at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. Spencer Honda | SL Spencer Honda | SL


Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at [email protected].




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