Hawaii’s top prep player to suit up for Miners

PALMER — It’ll be months before Michael Suiter hits the Santa Clara campus as a college freshman. But Suiter will have the opportunity to hit college pitching for the next two months.

Suiter, a Santa Clara blue chip recruit and recent graduate of Punahou School in Kailau, Hawaii, will play for the Mat-Su Miners this season.

“It’s exciting to get the exposure,” Suiter said before the team’s practice Monday afternoon. “Get the experience against college caliber pitching.”

Suiter, called a five-tool prospect by most scouts, starred at Punahou School, the alma mater of President Barack Obama. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound centerfielder was a member of a Punahou program that won seven straight Hawaii state titles. As a junior, Suiter hit .533 and was named the Gatorade Hawaii Baseball Player of the Year. Suiter was named second-team all-state as a senior.

Suiter is listed by many publications and scouting services as the top prospect in the state of Hawaii, and has been receiving significant interest from Major League teams. Before making the trip to Palmer, Suiter worked out for five MLB teams — the Tampa Rays, Los Angeles Dodgers, Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers.

Scouts expect Suiter to be selected in this week’s MLB Draft.

Mat-Su head coach Brian Yocke said he’s excited to have Suiter on the squad.

“To get the opportunity he’s getting as a high school senior is a good one,” Yocke said. “Athletically, he looks like he can play the part. Just age-wise, there’s going to be a period of growth there.”

The Miners learned about Suiter thanks to former Santa Clara coach Mike Zirelli, a former pitching coach with the Miners.

Recruiting high school seniors is rare for summer teams such as the Miners. The last high school senior from outside of Alaska to be recruited by the Miners was Blake Newalu, a Georgia senior who played for Mat-Su in 2008.