- Full name Kahi Kaanoi
- Born
- Profile Throws: R
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
-
High school righthanders who can touch 96 mph don't usually last until the seventh round, but Kaanoi had two strikes against him: He's just 5-foot-11, and most clubs thought he was headed to Arizona State. Area scout Dave Herrera determined he was signable and was proven correct. Kaanoi is built similar to former Royals phenom Tom Gordon, so the club isn't concerned about his size. The only worry is how he'll bounce back from arthroscopic surgery to repair a partial tear of his rotator cuff. Kaanoi has a free and easy arm action, so the cause of his injury is somewhat of a mystery. When he returns, he'll need to add secondary pitches. He has good arm speed, so Kansas City is confident he'll be able to develop a nice curveball. Because he's coming off surgery, he'll be handled carefully and may not pitch in 2001 until the Northwest League season begins in June.