UPDATED RESEARCH - 2023 Draft Prospect - SS - Maui Ahuna

Maui Ahuna

SS          Tennessee

2022 Kansas stat line - 53-G, 202-AB, .396, 8-HR 

 

3-3-23 - Keith Law’s MLB Draft 2023 Rankings: -

#16 Maui Ahuna, SS, Tennessee

Ahuna just made his debut for the Vols on Tuesday night after sitting out the first two weekends while waiting for the NCAA to clear his transfer from Kansas. He’s a high-probability shortstop with an aggressive approach, showing good feel for contact even on some stuff just out of the zone but not a ton of patience. He collapses his back side when trying to hit for power, so he’s better suited to making hard contact even at the expense of some home runs.

2-27-23 - 2023 MLB Draft Preview: College players to watch -

Maui Ahuna, SS, Tennessee - A transfer from Kansas, Maui Ahuna is a player who is a bit of a wild card in the first round right now following a disappointing summer for him and the upcoming test that will be facing SEC pitching on a daily basis. Ahuna isn’t very big at 6’1 and 170, but he’s a plus runner and above average or slightly better fielder, and has a fairly similar profile to Dansby Swanson offensively - though from the left side. Ahuna is a guy that today would probably go somewhere around #24, but his season could see him rise or fall depending on his success. As of now Ahuna has not played yet this spring as the NCAA looks into his eligibility, but the season just began so it is too soon to be concerned there.

CBS - Five snubs from the Top 30, including a Wake Forest power hitter and an Arizona standout -

5. Maui Ahuna, SS, Tennessee

Why you would expect him to be ranked: Ahuna is a left-handed-hitting shortstop who batted .396/.479/.634 with eight home runs and 13 steals last season at Kansas. The Volunteers liked him enough to nab him as part of their loaded summertime transfer class.

 

Why he's not: The Cape Cod League still carries a lot of weight with scouts as a proving grounds for professional prospects. That's bad news for Ahuna, who suffered through a putrid seven-game stint there over the summer, batting .167/.286/.167 with nearly four times as many strikeouts (15) as walks (four) in just 28 plate appearances. His swing-and-miss rate was over 40 percent, and he showed poor pitch recognition on breaking balls. Maybe Ahuna was just having a bad week (it happens), but the evaluators who spoke to CBS Sports want to see how he fares in the SEC before giving him a first-round grade.

2-6-23 - Prospect Live - Top 100 Prospects -

65 SS

Maui Ahuna

Tennessee

Ahuna, a Kansas transfer, tormented the Big 12 before transferring to Tennessee. He's been a big-time performer and run producer in his college career, but there's streaky swing-and-miss concerns that analysts worry about. Ahuna does have sneaky pop at the plate, squarely solid average raw power. That can be awfully difficult to find in a true shortstop. He's got a very good glove, and most project a solid-average or better defender at the next level. Ahuna has a smattering of average tools across the board and a track record of performing in big conferences. If the bat-to-ball ticks up like some forecast it will, he has the tools to become a strong big league regular.

1-17-23 - Top 25 Breakdown: No. 2 Tennessee

https://d1baseball.com/season-preview/top-25-breakdown-no-2-tennessee/ 

SS Maui Ahuna is a two-year performer at Kansas with the silky-smooth defensive actions to serve as Team USA’s shortstop last summer. The powerful Merritt and the multi-talented Christian Moore also bring star power.

12-14-22 - Sox Machine

WAY-TOO-EARLY 2023 MLB MOCK DRAFT

https://soxmachine.com/2022/12/way-too-early-2023-mlb-mock-draft/

18. Milwaukee Brewers: Maui Ahuna, SS, Tennessee

The shortstop has transferred to Tennessee for the 2023 season and he should be the igniter for the Volunteers’ offense. He has a sweet left-handed swing and played for Team USA this summer.

12-9-22 - 2023 MLB MOCK DRAFT 1.0

https://throughthefencebaseball.com/2023-mlb-mock-draft-1-0-pirates-taking-who/

24. Atlanta Braves: Maui Ahuna, SS, Tennessee

Ahuna has a lot to prove this upcoming season. He’s a bit too anxious at the plate with high strikeout rates, but when he’s on, he’s on. There’s star potential in his game, that with the right coaching, he could become a top-10 selection. It’ll take a lot of hard work, but Ahuna has the skill set to make it happen if the mental game catches up. Transferring from Kansas to Tennessee this year, he’ll have his work cut out for him playing in that brand of baseball.

12-6-22 - 2023 MLB DRAFT - MOCK DRAFT 2.0 - https://www.prospectslive.com/prospects-live/2022-mlb-mock-draft-n78w7-st9r4-wa35p-2n5ls-8addg-ed27s?s=03 - 

20. Toronto Blue Jays

Maui Ahuna, SS, Tennessee 

Ahuna is coming off a massive year at Kansas. Now a Tennessee Volunteer, he’ll have a shot to establish himself a bonafide first rounder this spring. There’s some swing and miss in his game, but Ahuna is the rare shortstop with the glove and athleticism to stick at the position, as well as the batted-ball data to suggest star upside. 

11-29-22 - Four Vols included in D1Baseball's 'College Top 100 Prospects' list for 2023 MLB Draft - https://247sports.com/college/tennessee/Article/Tennessee-Vols-Baseball-D1-Baseball-2023-MLB-Draft-College-Top-100-Prospects-Chase-Dollander-Maui-Ahuna-Jared-Dickey-Kyle-Booker-199036344/ - 

Junior right-handed pitcher Chase Dollander is the Vols' most touted prospect on this year's team and was ranked No. 2 overall on the list. New Tennessee shortstop Maui Ahuna came in at No. 17 after transferring from Kansas in June, while utility man Jared Dickey rounded out the potential day one picks for the Vols at No. 23, respectively. Junior outfielder Kyle Booker was the fourth Vol on the list at No. 80. 

Ahuna transferred to- the Vols following a breakout season at Kansas. The 6-foot1, 170-pound infielder earned First Team All-Big 12 honors last spring when he hit .396 at the plate to go along with eight home runs and 48 RBIs. Ahuna added 16 doubles and four triples while proving to be one of the best defensive shortstops in all of college baseball.

11-28-22 - 2023 MLB Draft: College Top 100 Prospects - https://d1baseball.com/prospects/2023-mlb-draft-college-top-100-prospects/ - 

17 Maui Ahuna SS Tennessee SEC

11-12-22 - 2023 MLB Draft – Top 50 College Prospects -

https://www.prospects1500.com/mlb-draft/2023-mlb-draft-top-50-college-prospects/  

10. Maui Ahuna, SS, Tennessee – A smooth left-handed swing that looks like a slap approach but can drive the ball all over the yard, Ahuna is a unique prospect and will get plenty of attention now that he is with Tennessee rather than Kansas. He is a guy who is not afraid to lay down a bunt for a hit, or go no doubter to center. There is some hip load and the swing can get long and lofty, but the bat head is quick and he does use the whole field. In the field, he is very athletic although sticking at short may be a bit of a longshot. A future move to center or second base are probably more likely, but that doesn’t reduce the value much for me.

 

10-19-22 - https://www.prospectslive.com/prospects-live/2022/1/15/2023-mlb-draft-prospects-fx4td?s=03 - 

46 SS

Maui Ahuna

Tennessee

Ahuna, a Kansas transfer, tormented the Big 12 before transferring to Tennessee. He's an average hitter, maybe a tick better with streaky swing-and-miss concerns and sneaky pop at the plate. He plays a strong shortstop at the college level, though most project just an average defender at the next level with his range and footwork. Ahuna has a smattering of average tools across the board and a track record of performing in big conferences.

 

All the 2023 Draft Prospects in the Mack’s Mets database can be viewed by going to www.macksmets.blogspot.com and clicking on 2023 DRAFT PROSPECT DATABASE found on the top, left of the front page of the site.