Kolten Wong
From BR Bullpen
Kolten Kaha Wong
- Bats Left, Throws Right
- Height 5' 9", Height 190 lb.
- School University of Hawai'i at Manoa
- High School Kamehameha-Hawai'i High School
- Born October 10, 1990 in Hilo, HI USA
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[edit] Biographical Information
Kolten Wong was a first-round draft pick in 2011.
[edit] High School
Wong was All-State in high school in 2006 and 2008 and was also All-League in football three times. He hit .660 as a senior, never below .500 during his time in high school. THe Minnesota Twins took him in the 16th round of the 2008 amateur draft but he did not sign.
[edit] College
As a freshman at Hawaii, he hit .341/.418/.597 with 21 doubles, 11 homers and 52 RBI in 58 games, while stealing 11 bases in 15 tries. He was named Western Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year and All-WAC in the outfield. Baseball America picked him as one of their Freshman All-American outfielders, alongside Jackie Bradley Jr. and George Springer; all three would go in the first round of the draft two years later. He then played for Team USA' college edition, but struggled at .215/.316/.277. He was third on the team with 11 steals, trailing Tyler Holt and Christian Colon. The team did not play in a major international tournament.
Wong batted .357/.435/.534 in 2010 and was All-WAC, this time as a second baseman. In the summer, he dazzled for the Orleans Firebirds at .341/.426 /.452. He was third in the Cape Cod Baseball League in average, tied for second in steals (22 SB, 7 CS), was second in OBP and 4th in slugging. He was named the Cape Cod League MVP. Baseball America rated him as the circuit's 13th-best prospect.
His junior year, Kolten was All-WAC for the third straight season, hitting .378/.492/.560. He was fourth in the WAC in average, third in OBP, fourth in slugging, first in steals (23 in 30 tries) and fourth in walks (42). He scored 48 runs and drove in 53 in 57 games. He finished his career second in homers at the University of Hawai'i (25).
[edit] Draft
The St. Louis Cardinals made him the 22nd pick of the 2011 amateur draft. Only two other Hawai'i players had ever gone in the first round - pitchers Mark Johnson (1996) and Mike Campbell (1985). On June 22, a report circulated that Wong had signed with the Cardinals, but GM John Mozeliak quickly denied this, adding that he still hoped to sign him before the August 15 deadline to sign drafted players.
[edit] Minors
Indeed, his signing was announced on June 25th, for a $1.3 million signing bonus, starting his career with the Quad Cities River Bandits. He debuted on June 27 against the Cedar Rapids Kernels, going 2 for 2 with a walk, run and 2 RBI while being caught stealing in his lone try.
