Eight teams, four games, one champion.

Prep Baseball Hawaii kicked-off Hawaii's 2025 high school season with our First Annual Prep Baseball Hawaii Preseason Invitational where over 100 players from Hawaii and California participated in a three-day event on the island of Oahu.

We started off the event introducing our experienced staff to players and familes against the backstop behind home plate, got right into stretching then VALD 60's.

While West Coast Regional Supervisor Brett Harrison and Northern California Director Hank LoForte ran 60's, Prep Baseball Hawaii's State Director Dan Cox spoke to all parents on the value of Prep Baseball events, value of data, measurables, video, social media and being identified for invite-only opportunities that can come out of our events. How Prep Baseball Hawaii events can help our local boys get noticed, connected and ultimately commited to colleges.

Players not only had a day of testings but also gameplay as we played one game at Mililani High School and three games at newly-renovated Hans L'Orange.

On Day #2 teams played two games at Mililani High School or Pearl City High School where Prep Baseball Hawaii ran Trackman to record in-game pitching data. Day #2 games were huge as teams with the best records (runs scored first tiebreaker, runs allowed second tiebreaker) were vying for the championship game births.

Following three games over Saturday and Sunday, team leaders from four teams with best records (California Halos, Lanakila, HWBA, HWBA2) agreed on gameplay format and rules for Monday's championship games. The lone undefeated team Hawaii Wood Bat Academy HWBA2 (2-0-1) from Hilo, HI matched up vs the furthest traveling team California Halos (2-1), from Ventura county (CA). On field #2 two teams representing Big Island faced-off in Lanakila (2-1) vs HWBA (2-1) for Big Island bragging rights. Championship games were on adjacent fields at Central Oahu Regional Park (CORP), so everyone was able to monitor each game's play and score which made for an exciting tournament finale.

Following championship gameplay we also played two consolation games with the remaining four teams: Hawaii Elite 2G, Kawainui, Hawaii Rockies and Pacific Pride from Maui. These Games were very important to Prep Baseball Hawaii as got to see (and video) many players who we'll add to class rankings and invite to invite-only events.

Congratulations to our First Annual Prep Baseball Hawaii Preseason Invitational Champion with a 10-5 win over second place California Halos: HWBA2!

Prep Baseball Hawaii would like to send out a BIG MAHALO to all players, parents and teams for participating, especiall those who flew in from California, Big Island and Maui. Prep Baseball Hawaii is looking forward to having all eight teams return next year and we already planning for a bigger and better event in 2026.

Prep Baseball Hawaii got to see players who have attended our events in the past, but more importantly laid eyes on many players for the first time, many who we will be invited to invite-only events such as Future Games, Senior Future Games, Junior Future Games, West Coast Games and Hawaii Fall Showcase.

Here's a list of 30 players who stood out at Prep Baseball Hawaii's 2025 Preseason Invitational, in no particular order other than class:

1. 2025 MIF Slade "Bubu" Sarono: Tooled-out RHH SS with bat speed, 93 exit velo and some pop to go along with 2nd fastest 60 (6.91), 3rd best INF velo at 89 mph, 85.5 from mound with a good SL and can pitch. One of the most exciting players all weekend and has all the traits DI's are looking for in a quality late get DI commit.

2. 2025 RHP/3B Caleb Sebek: 6-05/185 with long limbs and plenty of projection. Arguably the top 2025 of the event with every Hawaii college inquiring on him prior to event. Up to 90 (2400+ spin) in game one with feel for CB & CHG. Top FB velo arm of event who may be better as a RHH 3B driving balls to each gap for two 2B's in game one and continued to hit all event. Legit two-way 2025 who could be a quality late get for a DI and one who could impact a DII both ways as a freshman. 

3. 2025 C Maika Akamu: Long HR to LF and impressive right-center power driving two balls into the softball field in CF. HR was impressive but more impressive is his approach to go with middle-away pitches and use his plus raw power to drive balls to right-center/oppo. Defense is improving behind plate but his bat is his ticket. All the makings of a future DI guy.

4. 2025 SS Ivor Brooks: May be Hawaii's biggest under-the-radar 2025 with DI's tools across the boards. Switch-hitting SS with 87 INF velo, 6.9 60, #1 Blast hand speed at 28.6 and 94 Trackman dexit velo who swung it well both sides all weekend and played well at SS. Plus athlete who's just scratching surface and one who could end up better than the famous 2025 Hawaiians in the end. 

5. 2025 C Duke Aloy: Best pop-time and catcher's velo to date (1.88, 76 mph), shut down run game by throwing out four runners over the weekend with teams not running on him at the end. Swung it well with QAB's and minimal swings-n-misses. Has the metrics, body and exceptional makeup DI's are looking for, one who could easily end up a late DI commit this summer.

6. 2025 3B/OF Kingston Lee: Long HR to pull at Pearl City HS, strung together a strong weekend with bat. Solid in field but the bat is his ticket, starting to show more consistency with the hit and making raw power usable. Quality makeup kid who could surprise this spring. 

7. 2025 1B/3B Isaiah Aliksa: Loud HR to pull, tough out, one of the more underrated 2025 bats in Hawaii. Big, strong, power hitting RHH 1B/3B who's got feel and plus pitch recognition. Excellent mistake hitter who is already tapping into his plus raw power and just scratching the surface of what his offensive ceiling can be. One for DI's to circle his name and see this summer.

8. 2025 SS Kaulana Quinlan: Athletic RHH SS with tools and feel for game. Value on both sides who can do a little bit of everything. Profiles as a 2-hole contact hitter and sure handed defender with plus toughness, plus determination and plus makeup.

9. 2025 LHP Tripp Kahsen: Lanakila's best pitcher, pitchability/finesse LHP who really pitch and can locate eveything went CG vs California Halo's big line-up and had them off-balanced all game with plus command off full mix. Crafty lefty who's got the confidence and command to play college ball in 2026. 

10. 2025 Zion Ishikawa: Physical power hitting switch-hitting C/OF who drove the ball from both sides all weekend including a HR to pull and 3B from left side to end Sunday's game. #1 in left handed grip strength, 2.00 pop-time with 73 mph catcher's velo. QAB's and one of the toughesr out all weekend. Lots to like on both sides of the ball with upside. Quality get for Saint Martin's.

11. 2025 RHP Noah Pacheco: No pitcher took the ball and competed more than Pacheco as he threw three innings on Saturday then came back two days later going 9 innings in extra-inning play and didn't want to come out of the game. spoke to him after his 9 inning start and he said his arm feel great and he could have gone more. Team needed a pitcher to step up in the last game and Pacheco went over and beyond. Impressive to say the least.

12. 2025 SS/RHP Daylin James: One of the top 2025 QB's out of Nevada showed off his athleticism on both sides of the ball with 2-3 barrels in every game including a loud/long HR to LF at Pearl City HS. 95.7 exit velo with huge bat-upside. Came into close, up to 87 with minimal effort and showed makings of out-pitch in CB. Played with a big smile on his face all weekend and would not be surprised if baseball ended up his future over football.

13. 2026 CF/LHP Josyah-Michael Napoleon-Umeda: Arguably the best player of the event as a dynamic, high-energy two-way impact guy, LHH who impressed with bat including a deep 3B to RC, stole 2B's in CF laying-out, up to. 84 with nothing straight as LHP, pitched twice including the championship game where he attacked hitters. All three Hawaii DII's saw Napolean-Umeda in action left impressed. If Prep Baseball Hawaii were to give out an event MVP, it likely would be Napoleon-Umeda.

14. 2026 SS/OF Koa Marzo: Huge body projection and tooled-out, up to 91 from OF with excellent arm action, quick/loose/live arm, got some bat speed and big bat upside as he possesses plus bat speed and future plus raw power. May be the biggest upside position player of the event and one who I would not bet against.

15. 2026 MIF Jesse Inouye: Absolute gamer. Plays the game with a passion and smile on his face. Not afraid to take a rip and cuts it loose from SS. Plays with his heart on his sleeve and fun-to-watch. Came up clutch in bottom 7th with deep drive to LC for a walk-off 2B in final day to secure runner-up for HWBA.

16. 2026 C Iokepa Martines: Arguable the most improved player over the last calendar year. Best pop-time (1.96) and shut down run game with numerous throws on-the-money for CS, bat has improved, still takes a big hack but improved contact. Hard to find a better makeup kid amongst our 100+ players as makeup is legit 80.

17. 2026 OF Kaikoa Nobriga: Huge weekend for Nobriga with the bat, second in exit velo (98.2), second in distance (374), saw ball well all weekend, drove ball to all fields including just missing to LC for HR at night with heavy air. 83 OF velo and corner OF profile. 16 years old, 6-00/187 with a future pro body. One for DI's for target this summer.

18. 2026 1B/3B Axel Akau: Arguably the most improved player in all of Hawaii over last calendar year and may have been the best hitter of the event. Took some of the best swings of the event driving balls deep to all fields including off top of wall at Hans that would have gone way out that afternoon. Much improved confidence and presence in-the-box and cut down swings-n-misses/K's. Played well at 3B and 1B and came in to close out championship game. 6-04/186 and just turned 17. One who DI's need to see this summer.

19. 2026 OF/3B Brady Minami: May have been Pacific Pride's best hitter stringing together a weekend of QAB's and tough AB's putting the ball in play. Scrappy LHH with two-hole profile solid in field. Gamer with football toughness and plus makeup.

20. 2026 UTL Ruben Venegas: Arguably California Halos' best all-around player who can do a little bit of everything. Swung it well, can play any position, showed promise on the mound and played hard all weekend. Plus energy, competiveness and makeup and one who DI's need to keep an eye on.

21. 2026 SS Keala Kuluhiwa-Kim: LHH SS with good body and solid tools across boards who swung it well and played quality SS all weekend. A 2026 local boy who likely makes a big jump over the next year and one who DI's need to see this summer.

22. 2026 SS/2B Marley Sebastian: 6-00/164 with high waist and plus projection. Athletic RHH MIF who played well on both sides of ball then impressed behind plate. Could end up contact bat, super-UTL guy with exceptional makeup to boot.

23. 2027 SS/OF Coen Sardinha: Lean LHH SS with 86 INF velo, 89 OF velo, sweet lefty stroke who lived middle-away all weekend, just turned 16, has as much upside as anyone in our event with Sardinha bloodlines to boot. Future Games invite.

24. 2027 RF/1B/LHP Chase Thompson: One of the most impressive players physically at 6-02/202 verified, and still only 16 years old. LHH who led all hitters in exit velo (101.2), distance (378 ft) and rotational acceleration (31.5). Pitched twice over the weekend with a max FB velo of 85.5 mph and solid secondary. Prep Baseball's #2 ranked 2027 recently decommitted from University of Hawaii and is now Prep Baseball Hawaii's #1 ranked uncommitted 2027.

25. 2027 SS Ryeder Takahashi: Best position player arm of the event went to 16 year old Takahashi who wow'd everyone with an absolute cannon from SS and event best 92 INF velo, paired with good actions and sure hands at SS Takahashi already projects as an easy plus defending SS and also one who I would love to see behind the plate. Offensively he's got an agressive swing with bat speed and may end up hitting for more power than most project. Huge summer ahead for Takahashi as likely an invite to Future Games and potential August 1 phone call guy.

26. 2027 SS Jayden Salazar: Ultra-projectable RHH SS with big upside on both sides of the field, quality AB's all weekend with feel for hitting and much more pop than looks as he almost left the yard at CORP. A 2027 for DI's to keep tabs on for sure.

27. 2027 SS Jadon Anzai: Tooled-out RHH SS with INF velo up to 90 mph, 7.00 60, quick bat and 88.9 exit velo. "Baseball player' with feel for game and plus value on both sides of the ball. One who DI's need to target this summer.

28. 2027 RHP/C Pono Kong: Highest breaking ball spin at nearly 2700 mph and has been up to 90+ with makings of plus CHG. Consistently posts pop-times under 1.90 with his quick exchange/release and strong arm. Prep Baseball Hawaii's #4 ranked 2027 who's recently decommitted from University of Hawaii and is now Prep Baseball Hawaii's #3 ranked uncommitted player.

29. 2027 3B/RHP Jonah Brub: Big bodied RHH 2027 two-way power hitting 3B and RHP up to 86. May end up 90+ soon but hard to see him better as a RHP with the bat potential. Profiles as a middle-of-the-order run-producer and will be one who'll get a chance to show off his tuff this summer, possibly at Future Games.

30. 2027 RHP/OF Cade Nakama: 5-10/154 with long, loose limbs and huge body projection. Up to 83 with minimal effort and solid three-pitch mix. Word was that he's a pitcher-only but took one of the better BP's and had one of the better swings amongst the 100+ players. One who could work his way to a two-way DI guy.