Hekili Robello is the hard-throwing, Division 1 college or MLB-bound ace of the Santa Rosa Junior College baseball team, but you would never hear that from him.
Robello is a man of few words, never one to bask in glory or give much attention to compliments.
“He doesn’t talk very much,” SRJC assistant coach Tom Francois said. “He just goes out there and does his job. When I bring attention to him, his head goes down a little bit because he’s embarrassed.”
The 6-foot-4 right-hander grew up in Hilo, Hawaii and graduated from Hilo High School in 2022. Back home he enjoys surfing, traveling and spending quality time with family.
“I started to take [baseball] seriously around my junior year in high school,” Robello said. “That’s when I started to grow and also throw a little bit harder.”
Toward the end of his senior year, Robello made the tough decision to move off the Big Island to develop both academically and athletically at SRJC.
“I was never a Division 1 ballplayer and my academics were not the strongest,” Robello said. “Matt Kimura, an [SRJC] alumni who won a state championship in 2016, said nothing but good things about the program, the school.”
The decision to move far away and play at SRJC was made easier by his intense desire to pursue his goals. “It wasn’t a tough decision because I wanted to pursue the next chapter in my life,” Robello said.
Despite the confidence in his decision, Robello’s transition to a new home 2,000 miles away was not seamless.
“I had a rough start in the fall of 2022,” Robello said. “I was feeling homesick and the adjustment from high school to college. My teammates being supportive is really what helped me.”
Robello posted an impressive team-leading 2.09 ERA in 86 innings with 80 strikeouts in 2024, having come a long way in his time with the Bear Cubs. He is never one to let his emotions get too high or too low, despite the results of a game.
“You can tell he comes from a humble background just based on his demeanor,” Francois said. “Some guys strut and that’s a sign of insecurity. He doesn’t have to strut.”
Francois recalled talking to Robello about a game in which he thrived but the team underperformed. “I went and talked to him about it, and I said, ‘I’m just sorry that you pitched your head off and we didn’t give you any run support.’ He says, ‘Oh, coach, it’s OK. There’ll be another time,’” Francois said.
While humble and never one to let his emotions get the best of him, Robello is equally competitive as he is modest.
“He hasn’t given up many walks,” Francois said. “The reason for that, [Robello] says, ‘I don’t want to walk anybody. I want them to try to win against me. I’m going to challenge them.’ He’s the gunfighter that wants to take you on, but he doesn’t boast about it.”
Robello has his sights set high on playing baseball at the next level, but he’s made sure not to put all of his eggs in one basket.
“I hope to transfer to a Division 1 college and continue to grow as a person and a ballplayer, and then hopefully play professional baseball,” Robello said. “If baseball doesn’t work out, then I’m thinking of joining the fire department. My dad is actually a fire captain, back at home.”
“I think he’s got more than a good shot of going to a D1 school and getting drafted,” Francois said. “I’m happy for him, whatever he wants to do, and he’s just a great kid.”
Bear Cubs star center fielder Alex Leopard said Robello brings fierce determination and commitment to the team.
“Hekili’s the man,” Leopard said. “He’s been dominant on the mound for us. He works hard on his craft and has continued to get better and you love to see that out of your ace. He’s been such a great teammate on and off the field, always pulling for his guys.”
Bear Cub’s pitcher Tony Suarez had similar thoughts to Leopard about their teammate.
“[Robello] is such a humble and simple man,” Suarez said. “He is always working and he pushes himself to be his best player. He’s really grown from when he first came, and he has got a lot ahead of him. He doesn’t even think he throws hard even though he tops out at 94 [mph].”
With the end of the baseball season approaching, Robello is ready for the playoffs, as the Bear Cubs finished in third place in the Big 8 conference with a 28-12 record.
“We just gotta go as far as we can,” Robello said. “Play as one, pull for each other and hopefully we win a state championship.”
