Every day, DallasJ Duarte wakes up to a dream.
And sometimes a little sore.
“Ever since I was growing up on the Big Island, it was a dream to play (baseball) for Hawaii, to represent Hawaii,” said Duarte, the Rainbow Warriors’ sixth-year catcher. “I’ve been chasing Hawaii. I want to say (since) sixth, seventh grade, I’ve been wanting to go to Hawaii.”
As a Kamehameha-Hawaii student, Duarte recalled attending one of UH’s baseball camps on Hawaii island.
“I tried to make the best out of it and tried to get Coach Mike Trapasso’s attention,” said Duarte, referencing UH’s head coach at the time. “Luckily with God, anything’s possible. He gave me an offer and I jumped on it. I didn’t even flinch. I wanted it so bad.”
Duarte’s UH career will come to a close with this weekend’s season-ending series against Cal State Fullerton at Les Murakami Stadium.
Duarte has worked with three pitching coaches, caught several future pros, overcame a pandemic, and endured several aches and bruises from foul tips, back swings, skipping pitches and hard slides. Two years ago, a UNLV batter fouled a ball that bounced and hit Duarte’s sensitive area.
Duarte also has been struck by a school-record 45 pitches in 856 career plate appearances. In 2023, he was hit by a pitch about once every 14 plate appearance.
“That’s part of the game,” said Duarte, who adheres to head coach Rich Hill’s edict of keeping the cleats planted in the batter’s box. “Mentally, you tell yourself you’re going to get some bangs and bruises. You’re going to get hit where you don’t want to get hit. It’s gonna hurt, but you’re going to be OK.”
At 5 feet 9 and 170 pounds, Duarte has a routine to prepare for collisions with heavier runners at the plate and ricocheting pitches
“You’ve got to get your body and mentality right,” Duarte said. “Through a 50-game season, there’s going to be a lot of bangs and bruises. I prepare prior to the season and prior to a series, whether that’s the right nutrition or rest. If your mentality is strong as ever, you can make it through anything.”
Duarte embraces physical challenges. He was a quarterback as a high school sophomore. Duarte and some of his friends tried cliff jumping, including off South Point on Hawaii island. But his passion was always baseball. He attended clinics run by Kaha Wong, father of Kolten Wong, a former UH infielder who has played 11 Major League Baseball seasons.
“There’s a lot of gratitude to the Wong family,” Duarte said. “I would not be here if it wasn’t for Coach Kaha, for sure.”
Duarte said Kaha Wong honed his skills — he also has started as an outfielder for the ’Bows — and showed the value of hard work.
“I’m always going to remember and miss the grind,” Duarte said. “All athletes go through the grind. It’s tough. But that’s what we wake up for every game. That’s the best part of this game, best part of this lifestyle. Staying disciplined, doing the things you need to do to be successful.”
Duarte said he marvels at the pitchers, such as former teammate Cade Smith, advancing in pro baseball.
“There’s a part of me that gets emotional — ‘I caught that guy,’” Duarte said. “There’s a part of me that feels a little bit of gratitude that I got to witness greatness while they were here throwing at Hawaii.”
Duarte also is hopeful younger players will follow his path.
“I just want to give the kids back home hope,” Duarte said. “Big Island is a tough place, I’m not going to say, to make it out. But it’s a tough place to have dreams to play ball because there are a lot of distractions. I just want the kids back home to see anything is possible. You can play ball anywhere. You can play ball as long as you can. It doesn’t matter the size, it matters the heart in the dog.”
BIG WEST BASEBALL
At Les Murakami Stadium
Hawaii (34-16, 17-10 Big West) vs. Cal State Fullerton (16-35, 7-20 BWC)
>> Schedule: 6:35 p.m. Thursday, Friday; 4:05 p.m. Saturday
>> TV: Spectrum Sports
>> Radio: 1420-AM/92.7-FM
>> Streaming: Spectrum Sports/ESPN+
