Former Kailua High left-handed pitcher Joey Cantillo plans to sign with Major League Baseball’s San Diego Padres, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser learned via sources on Thursday.
The 6-foot-4, 200-pound former Surfriders star is in San Diego and will sign within the next few days. He was chosen by the Padres in the 16th round of the Major League Baseball draft, the 468th overall pick.
Terms of the deal have not been disclosed.
By going pro, Cantillo will forgo a scholarship offer from the University of Kentucky.
He led Kailua to a second straight Oahu Interscholastic Association championship in the spring.
Cantillo will be the fourth player from this year’s draft who played high school baseball in Hawaii to sign with an MLB team.
Former Punahou and Oregon State star KJ Harrison has not signed with Milwaukee yet. Harrison, a 6-2, 205-pound catcher, was drafted in the third round by the Brewers, the 84th overall selection. He just finished his junior year with the Beavers and could return for his senior season.
The others Hawaii high schoolers to sign are:
>> Ryley Widell (King Kekaulike/Central Arizona), RHP, 6-3, 180, with the Minnesota Twins (seventh round, pick No. 196)
>> Tanner Nishioka (‘Iolani/Pomona-Pitzer), 2B, 5-11, 180, with the Boston Red Sox (ninth round, pick No. 281)
>> Joey Jarneski (Hilo), RHP, 6-0, 170, with the Texas Rangers (12th round, pick No. 374)
Two former University of Hawaii players also signed this year:
>> Casey Ryan, RHP, 6-4, 225, with the Chicago Cubs (18th round, pick No. 555)
>> Josh Rojas, 3B, 6-1, 185, with the Houston Astros (26th round, pick No. 781)
