University of Hawaii two-way standout Itsuki Takemoto was selected by the Oakland Athletics in the 19th round of the Major League Baseball Draft on Monday.
Takemoto, chosen with the 560th overall pick, excelled as both a pitcher and designated hitter for the Rainbow Warriors over the past two seasons. In 2025, he earned first-team all-conference honors as a two-way player after hitting .267 with eight doubles, one home run and 21 RBIs.
On the mound, Takemoto led UH with 66 1/3 innings pitched across 14 appearances, including 13 starts. He served as the series-opening starter for nine consecutive weeks and logged at least five innings in nine of those outings.
He also started seven games as both the designated hitter and pitcher.