Tampa Bay selects Pearl City alumnus Cade Halemanu in 10th round of MLB draft
Jul. 19—The Tampa Bay Rays selected former University of Hawaii right-hander and Pearl City alumnus Cade Halemanu with the 314th overall pick in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft today.
Halemanu, who entered the transfer portal after the end of the season and committed to play for Oregon in 2023, was one of the final three picks on Day 2 of the draft, which ended after the conclusion of the 10th round.
He was the only player with Hawaii ties selected. The draft will end with rounds 11-20 on Tuesday.
Halemanu is the first UH player who graduated from high school in Hawaii to get drafted since Kekai Rios in 2018.
Listed at 6-foot-4, Halemanu came back to pitch for Hawaii last season after turning down free-agent offers.
In 15 starts, Halemanu went 4-5 with a 4.69 ERA but was better in Big West play with a 2.68 ERA in 10 league starts.
Halemanu spent three years as a walk-on at UH before earning a scholarship prior to last season.
He is the seventh Pearl City alumnus to be selected in the draft and first since Chace Numata in 2010.
