Hawaii State Games: Quick Hits

Brock Ayudan SS / 2B / Kamehameha Hawaii, HI / 2028

The Hawaii Wood Bat Academy product Continues to show his game, trending each time out with us, with rangy, confident actions on the defensive side of the ball To go with his advanced actions at the plate. Standing at 5-foot-8, 135 pounds, there is a lot to like about this middle and filler that we believe is still just only scratch in the surface of what's to come in his game.

Axel Akau 3B / 1B / Hilo, HI / 2026

The Prep Baseball verified 6-foot-4, 194.2 pound, Hawaii Wood Bat Academy product continues to see his game, trend each time out at our events with multiple personal best achieved at the Hawaii State Games. The physical utility player put together an impressive offensive performance on day, one during the position player workout, then followed it up with a home run during the live gameplay on day two proving that the bat is a “real” tool. Keep an eye on Akau this summer as we project him to be a player whose game will continue to progress with much more projected to come.

Kupono Barkdull LHP / 1B / Kamehameha Schools Kapalama Campus, HI / 2027

The physical two way showed his ability to get it done on both sides of the ball with one of the most impressive batting practice sessions of the Hawaii State Games, showing off his present power to the pole side with feel for the big part of the yard to go with it. His athleticism around the bag is an underrated tool that helped to amplify the confidence of infielders throwing his way throughout the event. On the mound, he showed his ability to compete with his fast ball running up into the mid 80s with much more projected to come on that end as well.

Tycen Baruela C / SS / Waiakea, HI / 2027

Baruela is a player we had circled as one to really key on at the Hawaii State Games and his performance did not disappoint. His ability behind the plate, handling velocity with ease, keep the ball in front, and showing off his improved catch and throw with a new personal best pop time of 1.93. With catching being at a premium now more than ever this is a player who can get it done on the defensive side, but also could get it done on the offensive side where he found multiple barrels during the live gameplay to go with his new personal best 97 mph exit velocity as well as a 92.1 mph average exit velocity.

Jonah Brub 3B / RHP / Saint Louis, HI / 2027

The 2027 St. Louis product put together one of the top overall performances at the Hawaii State Games, earning the events top catcher pop time at 1.90 as well as the top catcher velocity at 78 mph. His day didn’t stop there on the offensive side he earned one of the events top TrackMan exit of velocities at 101.1 mph as well as a 96.2 mph average exit velocity. His ability to consistently find the barrel with present feel for the big part of the yard is a key separator for Brub as he heads into a big Summer campaign.

Noah Andrew Castillo RHP / OF / Kamehameha Schools Kapalama Campus, HI / 2028

The lone 2028 arm to earn his spot in the top 10 of pitching velocities at the Hawaii State Games, Castillo will be an arm to follow for years to come. His basketball already running up to 86.4 with his personal best coming at last year‘s junior future games where he rent it up to 88 mph. Over the last year, we’ve also seen his slider improve in both shape and command, spinning up to 2575 RPMs. At 5-foot-9, 149 pounds, there’s still much more to come with this live arm.

Maximilian DeTrinis C / RHP / Damien Memorial, HI / 2027

DeTrinis is a tone setter on the baseball field, playing with energy throughout the event, only amplifying his impressive showing on both days of the Hawaii State Games. His 96 mph TrackMan exit velocity and 77.6 mph bat speed, prove that he can get it done on the offensive side of the ball, while also earning his spot as one of the top defensive performances behind the plate where he threw a 1.93 pop time to go with his 76 mph catcher velocity. This is another player that can get it done at multiple positions on the field and is a “baseball player” that will be a difference maker in someone’s program.

Aycen Fernandez RHP / Saint Louis, HI / 2026

Fernandez comes off of the 2025 high school season where he saw a limited time, but after getting settled in at the Hawaii State Games, you would never know that he is still on his way to be completely back to 100%. Has even tempo delivery with command of his pitch arsenal made him one of the top arms at the event, projecting to add much more with the room still able to fill out in his frame.

Dayton-Micheal Hanson RHP / 1B / Kamehameha, HI / 2028

Jesse Inouye 2B / SS / Waiakea, HI / 2026

Inouye is a “gamer” type that does everything clean with low effort and always seems to be in the middle of making things happen in a game. His feel for the game on both sides of the ball is amplified by his 6.84 60 times speed that he uses to extend his range in the middle end field as well as take extra base or cause havoc on the base paths. This is an under the radar player that we don’t expect to be under the radar much longer.

Koa Marzo OF / SS / Hilo, HI / 2026

Marzo quietly had himself an outstanding Hawaii State Games. Putting together a line dry filled batting practice session that flashed his pull side power potential, as well as earning the events top VALD 60 time at 6.80 seconds. This is another player that we expect to find himself on more than a few colleges radars this summer.

Cade Nakama RHP / OF / Iolani, HI / 2027

Arguably, no on solar stock rise more after the Hawaii State Games than Cade Nakama. He found himself near the top of almost every stat category that applied to him, starting with his 97.2 mph TrackMan exit of velocity, followed by his 91 mph outfield velocity. On day two,  he told the robber to show off one of the more polished mixes with his fastball running up to 86.5 mph, that he paired mostly with his slider that flashed tunnel, action, inducing multiple swing and misses.

Kaikea Patoc-Young OF / Kamehameha Schools Kapalama Campus, HI / 2027

Patoc-Young showed off his easy actions throughout the event, especially at the plate where his ability to consistently find the barrel was on full display, living in the big part of the yard with more power projected to come. From the outfield, his athleticism shined as his speed work to get him online to his target where he was able to pull down 91 mph outfield velocity. This is another player that we expect to have a huge summer.

Kekoanui Payanal SS / 2B / Punahou, HI / 2028

A young player that is already on a number of radars, Payanal has all the tools to be a legitimate prospect that will only continue to see his game trend over the next few years. His 98.1 mph TrackMan exit velocity and 89 mph infield velocity ran him at, or near, the top of almost every statistical category that applied to him, not only for the 2028 class, but out of the entire event. The advanced actions plus present confidence has this Punahou product in a prime position, heading into the summer.

Noah Sham SS / 3B / Kaiser, HI / 2026

Another “gamer” type that made an impression on not only the Prep Baseball staff, but the coaches in attendance, playing the game with bounce and infectious energy. He validated his ability to hold down a middle infield position with arguably the top player of the event that saw him make a full extension, diving into the six hole that ultimately pulled the first basement off the bag, but showed that that play is in his arsenal. At the plate, you can see his confidence continue to grow as well as his strength where he posted a 96.4 mph TrackMan exit velocity along with a 92.6 mph average exit velocity.

Colby Taniguchi OF / LHP / Kalani, HI / 2027

Taniguchi is another prospect that quietly had an impressive Hawaii State Games on both sides of the ball. The Kalani product improved almost every stat category that applied to him, including an event based 103.6 mph TrackMan exit velocity to go with his 91 mph outfield velocity. Keep an eye on Taniguchi as a player that we expect to carry this into a successful summer season.

Ezra Ugale SS / RHP / Mililani, HI / 2027

Another player who saw their stock rise after their performance at the Hawaii State Games was Ezra Ugale. The two way earned the events top infield velocity at 94 mph, then followed it up with a 96 mph TrackMan exit velocity. This Mililani product adds to an already deep 2027 class in Hawaii and will be a player to follow this summer.

Jackson Wood LHP / OF / Kaiser, HI / 2027

Wood is another prospect that made a big impression on the Prep Baseball staff with impressive actions on both sides of the ball where he ran his fast ball up to an event best 89.2 mph to go along with his 97.1 mph TrackMan exit velocity and 6.81 VALD 60 time. The tools are real and present, and you can expect to see them on full display this summer with Hawaii Elite.