BY BRENT CURRY – Hawai’i Pacific all star baseball player Blake Amaral was drafted today by the Los Angeles Angels in the 40th round of Major League Baseball’s First-Year Player Draft. Amaral is the 11th Sea Warrior selected in school history and the first since 2008.
Amaral, who was taken 1227 overall, had an outstanding career at HPU. He leaves HPU with 11 hitting records including longest hitting streak, most RBI in a game, most doubles in a season, most RBI in a season, most career games played, most career at-bats, most career runs, most career hits, most career doubles, most career triples and most career RBI. He ranks second in career average and home runs.
In 2012, Amaral hit .358 with 36 runs, 14 doubles, four triples, four home runs and 45 RBI. He was named to the All-PacWest First Team for the fourth time and All-Region by two different organizations. Maybe more importantly, Amaral established himself as a steady right fielder after spending much of 2011 as a designated hitter.
Amaral is the first HPU player to be drafted since Kaimi Mead in 2008.
Brent Curry is the Sports Information Director for Hawai’i Pacific University