Hilo’s Kean Wong is in his third season with the Triple-A Durham Bulls, yet this spring it took a bit of time to figure it out at the plate.
Through 10 games, the infielder/outfielder was batting .162. Through the next 18 games, he boosted his average to .363.
“Just getting up there and feeling comfortable at the plate,” said Wong, the Batter of the Week in the International League at the end of April. “Confidence goes a long way.”
Wong batted .619 (13 for 21) on a six-game road trip, driving in eight runs. The Bulls returned home and he’s gone 15 for 37 in 10 games through Thursday.
“He has got a really good mindset,” Bulls manager Brady Williams said. “He’s putting in the work. He has settled in and has a pretty good track record.”
Wong, 24, said he made adjustments in reaching via a hit or walk in 20 consecutive games.
“I needed to be better with my pitch selection and my bat path was a little messed up,” he said.
He hit his second home run last Sunday, slashing .363/.444/.539.
Wong played in the Triple-A All-Star Game last year after receiving top honors in September 2017 in the Triple-A national championship game.
Yet by late last summer, Wong faded. He has admitted that with other teammates called up to the Tampa Rays in the big leagues, it bothered him and impacted his performance.
“I was thinking a lot,” the 2013 Waiakea graduate said. “I’m not going to do that this year.”
Medeiros struggles
Since starting the season on the seven-day disabled list, 2014 Waiakea grad Kodi Medeiros has lost all five of his starts for the Double-A Birmingham Barons, including an outing Wednesday night in which the left-hander allowed nine hits and six runs in 4 2/3 innings, raising his ERA to 6.94. The White Sox farmhand walked three and struck out five.
On the season, Medeiros has yielded 33 hits in 23 1/3 innings, with 17 walks and 21 strikeouts, and batters are hitting .324 against him.
Carter hopes to click
Jodd Carter is looking to get on track again.
The 2014 Hilo grad was humming along April 24, hitting his fourth home run and collected two hits to raise his average to .286 for the Lynchburg Hillcats, the Advanced-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians.
However, Carter’s single Wednesday night was only his third hit in eight games, a 3-for-33 stretch with no RBIs that has dipped his average to .207 through Thursday. The outfielder is drawing walks, and has a .323 on-base percentage to go along with a .415 slugging percentage.
In 23 games, Carter is 17 for 82 with four homers, six RBIs, five doubles and two stolen bases.
Also
Micah Bello, a 2018 Hilo alum and a second-round draft pick of the Milwaukee Brewers, told the Tribune-Herald he is set to open the season with the Rocky Mountain Vibes, a rookie league team that opens their season in June. After signing a pro deal last June, Bello played 39 games, primarily in center field, in the Arizona Rookie League. He hit .240/.324/.325 with a home run, 15 RBIs, 25 runs scored and 10 stolen bases.
• Left-handed reliever Quintin Torres-Costa, a 2012 Waiakea grad, is sitting out the season with the Triple-A San Antonio Missions (Brewers) after Tommy John surgery.
