King Kekaulike Na Ali'i: 2024 Season Preview
March 6, 2024
The 2024 High School season is just getting undeway in Hawaii and for the first time ever, Prep Baseball Hawaii brings you Season Previews on High School teams from across the State. Coaches and players have been working nonstop since the conclusion of the 2023 season in preparation for a highly anticipated 2024 spring season. Throughout our Preseason Previews, we look to give you an inside scoop on some of the most highly talked about teams going into the spring season. We continue to provide insight and analysis as the season gets underway and we'll continue providing coverage throughout the Spring.
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With our fourth 2024 Season Preview, we move back to Division I and over to another Island as we take a look at the 2024 King Kekaulike Na Ali'i baseball team that finished 2023 with a record of 4-10 but have their sights set on more than that this year as five arms and three starters return for the 2024 season including a pair of seniors who will lead the way, who we highlight below. King Kekaulike is led this year by Head Coach Chad Hashimoto.
High School: King Kekaulike High School
Coach: Chad Hashimoto
HHSAA Classification: Division I
Conference: Maui I
2023 Record: 4-10
Returning Strengths/Players: King Kekaulike's returning strength comes in the form of returning upperclass positional players as they will be led by a trio of them this upcoming season with one of those three also being of the team's top arms. '24 RHP/SS Jaxon Wong (Lassen College), '25 SS/OF Taydem Hashimoto (Hawaii Pacific) and '24 C Kamakalei Stone (Uncommitted) will all be major contributors to the Na Ali'i success this year as they'll all hold down premium positions on the field.
Potential Impact Players: King Kekaulike's 2023 freshman class will look to make a jump this season and become regular, every day contributors following a season that saw them just getting comfortable at the varsity level. '26 3B/RHP Kaikanoa Kaahanui (Uncommitted), '26 INF Cade Yamada (Uncommitted) and '26 LHP Haena Kaaihue (Uncommitted) will all look to take the next step in their development and begin making their mark on the program as they take the field for Year Two and prepare to become leaders as upperclassmen in just one year.
Top Uncommitted: Two-thirds of King Kekaulike's 'returning strengths' have both already committed to programs Lassen College and Hawaii Pacific with senior Kamakalei Stone still uncommitted. The 5-foot-10, 170-pound backstop is strong, athletic and should be on the radar of college coaches still looking for an incoming catcher.
Kalaheo's team that takes the field Friday on Opening Night will look a lot different than the one that took the field for the final game of 2023. The Mustangs will be a team to keep an eye on early in the season as the newcomers look to establish himself within their new program and propel the team to their first winning season since 2016.
UPCOMING EVENTS
SHOWCASE | STATE | DATE | LOCATION |
Hawaii Rising Stars ID | HI | 04/21 | Pearl City High School |
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