TUCSON, Ariz. — Just make it out of Tucson.

That has been the motto for Matt Inouye, a former Mid-Pacific Institute and University of Hawai'i baseball standout who is based with fellow Chicago White Sox prospects in the town nearly 115 miles southeast of Phoenix.

Inouye says that leaving there means that his hard work will have paid off.

"I worked hard when I was in high school at Mid-Pac, and tried to maintain that work ethic here in Tucson, and I really want to break camp with the rest of the guys rather than going back to extended (spring training) or rookie ball," Inouye said. "I'm just trying to make it out of Tucson as fast as I can."

Inouye was selected in the 21st round of the 2006 draft as a catcher, and played with Chicago's rookie league club, the Bristol (Va.) Sox. He notched nine doubles, four home runs and 31 RBIs while hitting .258 through 57 games at Bristol.

In 2007, Inouye batted .309 with nine doubles, five home runs, 28 RBIs and five stolen bases through 40 games with the White Sox's other rookie league affiliate, the Great Falls (Mont.) Voyagers.

"Right now I'm practicing with the Kannapolis (N.C.) team which is in Low-A, so I think I might be going there," said Inouye, who threw out 15 of 30 base runners attempting to steal on him last season. "If somebody gets hurt, maybe I've got a chance to move up to (High-A) Winston-Salem (N.C.)."

One of Inouye's goals offensively is to "work on going to the opposite field more, with some power." He also is aiming "to get 20 stolen bases. Hopefully, I can stay injury free and break camp with everybody else."

Inouye got a shot at honing his skills with some of baseball's best young prospects when he was added to the Waikiki BeachBoys roster a couple weeks into the Hawaii Winter Baseball season. In 13 games, both as a designated hitter and catcher, Inouye batted .229 against some of the strongest pitchers he has faced.

"(Hawaii) Winter Baseball taught me a lot about (opposing) pitching and how guys can pitch backwards a lot better when they have command of off-speed pitches," Inouye said. "I'm definitely going to use that knowledge (gained) in Hawaii Winter Baseball and bring it to where I am in Low-A or High-A this year."

Inouye describes pitching backwards as when a pitcher tries to get a batter to chase "junk" pitches, either breaking balls or changeups, and then "powering back with an inside fastball or something along those lines rather than trying to get ahead with an outside fastball" to start the at-bat.

As Inouye continues to work at moving up the White Sox organizational ladder, he hopes that his efforts will translate into a promotion and a resulting reprieve from the desert.

But as he took some time to relax in his modest hotel room just down the road from Tucson Electric Park, Chicago's Spring Training home, Inouye recalled the constant support he has received from his hometown fans.

"If there's anyone that keeps up with the baseball out here and the minor leagues, I appreciate it," he said. "I'll do my best to make Hawai'i proud."