Mike DeKneef fulfilled dream in pro baseball, made AAA
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Lewis-Clark State College's Mike DeKneef held out for more in June 1990 and the Red Sox gave it, his hometown Honolulu Star-Bulletin wrote.
The Red Sox ended up giving it, including extra to finish school, The Star-Bulletin wrote.
"I'm very happy," DeKneef told The Star-Bulletin. "This has been a dream of mine for a long time."
DeKneef went on from there to a career that spanned four seasons. He topped out at AAA.
DeKneef's career began that year in 1990, taken by the Red Sox in the 17th round of the draft out of Lewis-Clark.
DeKneef started with the Red Sox in the rookie Gulf Coast League. He saw 47 games and hit .249.
He then moved to high-A Winter Haven for most of 1991, and saw six games at AAA Pawtucket. He went 3 for 16 at Pawtucket and hit .246 on the year.
He also saw 10 games at high-A Lynchburg at the end of the year to help them win the division.
"It feels great to go from a team that was going nowhere to one winning a championship," DeKneef told The News and Advance, comparing Lynchburg and Winter Haven.
DeKneef played 1992 at AA New Britain. He saw 118 games and hit .227. He then underwent rotator cuff surgery and lost all of 1993. He returned with the Mariners at single-A Appleton in 1994. He hit .198 to end his career.
He later turned coach, but in 2001 was arrested in a drug investigation and was eventually sentenced to three years in prison. He spoke to The Star-Bulletin about his story as he headed to start his sentence.
"I don't expect anyone to feel sorry for me. I want people to know about my story so they don't make the same mistake," he told The Star-Bulletin then. "I lost a lot."
- Honolulu Star-Bulletin, June 9, 1990: Souza still negotiating with Brewers
- Lynchburg News and Advance, Sept. 1, 1991: L-Sox clinch division crown
- Honolulu Star-Bulletin, June 16, 2002: Drugs put DeKneef a long way from home
Made the Majors:1,481-31.8%
Never Made Majors:3,174-68.2%-X