Breaking News
Local Sports

Warriors ready to kick off new MIL season with new tech

By Robert Collias 6 min read

PUKALANI -- At 6-foot-8, Kaimi Kahalekai stands out in a crowd almost anywhere.

During his senior season with the Kamehameha Schools Maui baseball team, the senior right-handed pitcher has a little help from technology to make his effectiveness on the mound even more devastating on opposing hitters.

Of course, Kahalekai is already a top-notch Major League Baseball draft prospect who has a 95 percent scholarship agreement to play next year at the University of Texas -- his fastball touched 95-96 mph recently in a practice bullpen session.

He also has a devastating slider that spins to the plate in the mid-80s range to go along with a curveball and change-up.

With the Warriors this spring he will be assisted by a Qubit device, an audio radio in the catcher's helmet that allows head coach Shane Dudoit to communicate with his catcher through a hand-held walkie-talkie-type device.

Kahalekai is likely to be the starter on the mound for the Warriors when they open Maui Interscholastic League play Thursday at 3:30 p.m. against Maui High at Maehara Stadium.

"I've never used it -- I really like it because last year it was kind of a struggle waiting for my catcher to give me the sign and, like, just waiting on the bump for 30 seconds when I want to stay in a rhythm," Kahalekai said. "But this year, my catcher can just get the signal directly from the coach. ... I like to work fast and that helps the defense."

In his three preseason outings this spring, Kahalekai has been devastating on the opposition with the device in use. The Qubit takes away the need to get a series of numbers verbally communicated from a coach in the dugout and then looking at a wristband to decipher the pitch request.

In the King Kekaulike tournament, he threw eight pitches against Kahuku, recording two strikeouts. Against Harbor High School from California, he went three innings with six strikeouts and one unearned run allowed. Against Iolani on Feb. 29 in the Baldwin tournament, he threw five shutout innings with 12 strikeouts and his first three walks so far this season.

"I feel good, velo(city) is up there, command is getting where it should be to get up there, but everything is a dogfight right now," Kahalekai said before practice Monday on the KS Maui upper campus. "Nothing is given to me. I still have to put in the hard work."

Indeed, Kahalekai was the third pitcher used in the state tournament by Kamehameha Maui last May. When he is fully ready to roll this season, there will be no question that he is the No. 1 for the Warriors.

"I think it's pretty cool, being the nobody, basically, in the state of Hawaii, just to be able to come out -- the whole summer I worked hard, I worked my (butt) off, lifting weights, throwing bullpens, throwing whenever I can," Kahalekai said. "It feels good though because coming from someone, like, 'Oh, I don't really want to watch him,' to being the No. 1 watched guy on Maui. So, everyone is going to come to our games, good environment for our boys, it should be fun."

Catcher Nakea Kahalehau, who is playing for injured MIL All-Star Duke Aloy, said the new device makes life easier for all. Kahalehau has not caught on a consistent basis since he was a youth player in the seventh grade.

"It makes it way easier and just kind of listen instead of look in the dugout and pick up what signal my coach is trying to give me," Kahalehau said. "He just tells me what ball -- fastball outside, curveball outside, curveball in -- so it just makes it a lot simpler and easier to give the sign to the pitcher.

"I feel like it's way easier, it's just straight to the point, you just give your signal, get your pitcher in his own rhythm to work. I feel like it just gives the pitchers more time to get their rhythm and get into a good feel so they can dominate."

Kahalehau is 5-9, nearly a foot shorter than the No. 1 pitcher he has been tasked with catching.

"In the beginning it was scary, you know?" Kahalehau said. "Catching 90-plus when you don't even catch, first year catching, that's one big jump. So, I was a little bit scared because his fastball moves a little bit, but at the time, I was just like, 'Ah, suck it up already, just catch it' and it got better. He's hella-talented. I've played with him since he was a kid and seeing him grow, it's crazy."

Assistant coach Aaron Loque also has an ear link to the device to hear pitch requests, allowing him to change the position of players in the infield and outfield as needed for the specific pitch.

"We went to Dallas in January, the American Baseball Coaches Association, we got to try out certain ones," Dudoit said. "This has been the most affordable, expandable without having to pay a yearly subscription. We came up with it because of those things."

Dudoit said that Kahalekai has matured greatly in the last 10 months, especially after he enjoyed a breakout summer.

"He's a much different person than he was last year, both on and off the field," said Dudoit, who is also a scout for the Texas Rangers. "I think he has matured. Over the summer he faced a lot of good competition on the Mainland, playing in the Area Code Games, worked with a lot of other people and him being scouted by a lot of these teams has gotten him to understand the process and how that's working and be the best that he can be. Obviously his skill speaks for itself.

"I mean, he's 6-8, he's in the mid-90s, you know, low-90s. I think he's probably the hardest thrower that Maui has ever seen. ... I don't think many guys have gotten to that and been able to sit at that for a while."

Kahalekai said that he has been contacted by all 30 Major League Baseball organizations, but he is 50-50 on whether he will take his draft opportunity or attend Texas, which would mean he cannot be drafted again for three years.

Kahalekai said his parents are leaning towards wanting him to attend college, but the offer he is bound to receive through the MLB draft could change that.

"He's got great options and everyone and their grandmother is calling me to get everybody in and what's going on, how's he doing, how's he doing in school, how are the parents -- everything that comes with scouting a kid, he's getting it," Dudoit said.

* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com.

Starting at /week.