University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa designated hitter and catcher Austin Machado signed a free agent deal with the Atlanta Braves following this past weekend’s Major League Baseball draft and will begin his pro career in the coming weeks.
Machado made a huge impact in his only year as a Rainbow Warrior, earning second-team American Baseball Coaches Association All-Region honors and second-team All-Big West recognition.
Machado led the team hitting .351 in 2023 with four homers and 48 RBIs. He also led the team and finished second in the Big West with 19 doubles. Machado reached base in 52 of the 53 games and ended the year sixth in the conference with a .473 on-base percentage.
A UH player has now either been drafted or signed an undrafted free agent deal following each of the last 48 seasons dating back to 1977.
