Keston Hiura

Keston Wee Hing Natsuo Hiura (born August 2, 1996) is an American professional baseball first baseman and second baseman who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee Brewers.

Keston Hiura
Hiura with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2019
Free agent
First baseman / Second baseman
Born: (1996-08-02) August 2, 1996
Santa Clarita, California, U.S.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
May 14, 2019, for the Milwaukee Brewers
MLB statistics
(through 2022 season)
Batting average.238
Home runs50
Runs batted in132
Teams

Hiura was born in Santa Clarita, California and attended Valencia High School. He later played three seasons of college baseball at the University of California, Irvine, earning conference accolades and spending time with the United States collegiate national team in the offseason. Hiura forewent his final year of college eligibility and signed with the Brewers after they selected him in the first round of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft.

Hiura spent three seasons in the Brewers farm system and was acclaimed as the organization's top prospect by his second minor league season. In 2019, he made his major league debut and posted a .303 batting average in 84 games. In the following three seasons, Hiura's statistics regressed, including a National League (NL)-leading 85 strikeouts in 2020 and a .168 batting average in 2021.

Career

Amateur career

Hiura attended Valencia High School in Valencia, Santa Clarita, California.[1][2] Playing for the school's baseball team, Hiura batted .500 with 14 home runs and 30 runs batted in (RBIs) in his senior year as the Vikings won the Foothill League.[3]

Undrafted out of high school, Hiura played college baseball at University of California, Irvine for the Anteaters.[4] As a freshman in 2015, he hit .330 with a .392 on-base percentage (OBP), a .520 slugging percentage (SLG), seven home runs, and 52 RBIs over 56 games. As a sophomore in 2016, he hit .358 with a .436 OBP, .559 SLG, seven home runs, and 41 RBIs over 53 games.[5][6] After the season, Hiura played for the United States collegiate national team.[7][8] In his junior year, Hiura batted .442 with a .567 OBP. He was named Big West Conference Player of the Year.[9]

Professional career

The Milwaukee Brewers selected Hiura in the first round, with the ninth overall selection, in the 2017 Major League Baseball draft.[10] He signed and was assigned to the Arizona Brewers of the Rookie-level Arizona League, and after batting .435 with four home runs, 18 RBIs and a 1.339 OPS in 15 games, was promoted to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers of the Single-A Midwest League where he finished the season, posting a .333 batting average with 15 RBIs and seven walks in 27 games.[11]

MLB.com ranked Hiura as Milwaukee's top prospect going into the 2018 season.[12] He began the 2018 season with the Carolina Mudcats of the High-A Carolina League[13] and was promoted to the Biloxi Shuckers of the Double-A Southern League on June 1 after hitting .320 with seven home runs, 23 RBIs, and a .911 OPS in 50 games for Carolina. Hiura also won the 2018 Arizona Fall League MVP[14] Hiura finished the year with Biloxi, batting .272 with six home runs, twenty RBIs, and 11 stolen bases in 73 games.[15]

Hiura began 2019 with the San Antonio Missions.[16] On May 14, his contract was selected and he was called up to the major leagues.[17] He made his major league debut on May 14 versus the Philadelphia Phillies.[18]

On June 3, 2019, despite a strong showing in the majors, Hiura was sent back down to Triple-A to the San Antonio Missions in order to make room for Travis Shaw. Hiura returned to the Brewers on June 28 along with infielder Tyler Saladino, as Shaw returned to Triple-A and utility player Hernán Pérez was designated for assignment. On July 28, Hiura homered in the bottom of the 10th inning against the Chicago Cubs for his first career walk-off hit. In 2019, on defense he led all major league second basemen in errors, with 16.[19]

In the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Hiura batted .212/.297/.410 with 13 home runs and 32 RBI in 59 games. He led the National League in strikeouts (85), as well as putouts (66) and errors (16) by a second baseman. Hiura had a .168 batting average in 2021. In 2022, Hiura played in 80 games for Milwaukee and hit .226/.316/.449 with 14 home runs and 32 RBI.[20]

On January 13, 2023, Hiura agreed to a one-year, $2.2 million contract with the Brewers, avoiding salary arbitration.[21] On March 25, the Brewers announced that Hiura, who was out of options, did not make the Opening Day roster.[22] Hiura was designated for assignment two days later after the team signed Luke Voit.[23] Hiura went unclaimed on waivers and was sent outright to the Triple-A Nashville Sounds on March 28.[24] In 85 games for Triple–A Nashville, he batted .308/.395/.565 with 23 home runs and 77 RBI. On October 4, Hiura elected free agency.[25]

Personal life

Hiura was born to a Chinese mother and a Japanese father.[26] He grew up a Los Angeles Dodgers fan.[27]

References
  1. Sondheimer, Eric (May 11, 2014). "Valencia shortstop Keston Hiura leads the state in home runs". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
  2. "Hiura sending a powerful message". Archive.signalscv.com. May 10, 2014. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
  3. "Valencia's Hiura named Player of the Year". Archive.signalscv.com. May 31, 2014. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
  4. "Keston Hiura commits to UC Irvine". Archive.signalscv.com. November 1, 2013. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
  5. Morales, Robert (February 15, 2017). "College baseball preview: UC Irvine's Keston Hiura 'a special hitter'". Orange County Register. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
  6. Keisser, Bob (April 28, 2016). "UC Irvine CF Keston Hiura is a complete package – with a glowing endorsement". Orange County Register. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
  7. "From overlooked to overachieving: Hiura represents USA". Archive.signalscv.com. July 12, 2016. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
  8. Helfand, Zach (February 15, 2017). "Irvine's Keston Hiura has transformed from obscurity into preseason All-American". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
  9. "UCI's Hiura a hit with pro baseball scouts". Los Angeles Times. June 8, 2017.
  10. McCalvy, Adam (January 20, 2016). "Brewers draft 2B Keston Hiura No. 9 overall | Milwaukee Brewers". M.brewers.mlb.com. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
  11. "Keston Hiura Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
  12. "Hiura headlines new-look Brewers Top 30 Prospects list". MLB.com. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  13. "Hiura breaks out at plate for Mudcats". MiLB.com. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
  14. "Brewers promote top prospect Keston Hiura to Class AA Biloxi". Jsonline.com. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  15. "Keston Hiura Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  16. Huddleston, Scott (April 3, 2019). "Dodgers ace Kershaw set to welcome San Antonio Missions to Triple-A". ExpressNews.com. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  17. Jeff Todd (May 14, 2019). "Brewers Promote Keston Hiura". MLB Trace Rumors. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
  18. "Milwaukee Brewers at Philadelphia Phillies Box Score, May 14, 2019". Baseball Reference. Retrieved May 15, 2019.
  19. "2019 Major League Baseball Fielding Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. January 1, 1970. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  20. "Keston Hiura - Stats - Batting". fangraphs.com. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
  21. "2023 MLB Arbitration Tracker". MLBTradeRumors. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  22. "Keston Hiura, once Brewers' top prospect, won't make team in 2023". Jsonline.com. October 24, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
  23. "Milwaukee Brewer sign Luke Voit DFA Keston Hiura Abraham Toro Sal Frelick | TSN". Tsn.ca. August 21, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
  24. "Brewers' Keston Hiura: Clears waivers, stays with MIL". cbssports.com. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  25. "Keston Hiura: Elects free agency". cbssports.com. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  26. "UC Irvine's Keston Hiura could be Anteaters' highest draft pick". Orange County Register. June 9, 2017. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
  27. Cotillo, Chris (June 12, 2017). "MLB Draft 2017: Get to know Brewers' first-round pick Keston Hiura". MLB Daily Dish. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
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