PHOENIX – Former Chaminade University shortstop
Cade Fujii on Monday inked his first professional baseball contract, signing a free agent deal with Major League Baseball's Athletics franchise.
Fujii has already reported to the ACL Athletics of the rookie-level Arizona Complex League in Phoenix, Arizona for developmental training.
The Kapolei native was with the independent minor league squad Bakersfield Train Robbers this past summer, playing primarily at third base, finishing the year batting .352 with 40 RBI and an OPS of 1.003.
"It's super exciting to be signing," Fujii said. "It happened so fast with the end of the season at Bakersfield to now. I'm really thankful for this opportunity and for all that baseball has given me."
Fujii completed his two years with the Silverswords this past spring with a career batting average of .325, which is tops in the four-year history of the program. He is second in career home runs (10) and RBI (60).
"I want to thank my coaches and teammates for everything," he said. "Chaminade has done a lot for me including meeting my girlfriend, Brynn (Shimabukuro, former 'Swords' women's soccer player), who has been so supportive of me."
Fujii is the second Silversword to ink a pro baseball contract. Terry Derby, who played on Chaminade's first team in 1980 before transferring to the University of Hawai'i, was a 16th-round draft pick by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 1983 amateur draft.
