Wong brothers hold youth baseball clinic

MANDI KOMATSU/Courtesy Photo Kolten Wong signs a Dodgers hat during a youth clinic on Dec. 30 at Walter Victor Baseball Complex.

MANDI KOMATSU/Courtesy Photo Kean Wong throws a ball during a youth clinic on Dec. 30 at Walter Victor Baseball Complex.

Hilo-raised professional baseball players Kolten and Kean Wong held a free baseball clinic for youths on Dec. 30 at Walter Victor Field.

Two hundred and sixty keiki attended the clinic — including 180 kindergarten through sixth graders and 80 seventh through 12th graders.

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Also in attendance was Cleveland Guardians fielding coordinator Kai Correa, who grew up in Hilo as well.

“You guys see me playing on TV and whatnot,” Kolten Wong said to the clinic’s attendees. “But at the end of the day, I was one of these kids.”

Fourteen college baseball players who previously played for Big Island Wood Bat Academy — operated by Kaha Wong, Kolten and Kean’s father — helped out with the clinic.

Kolten Wong is a free agent, second baseman and two-time gold glove awardee who most recently played for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Kean is also a free agent, most recently playing for the Chicago White Sox.