In 2013, Mateus Vakuda left Brazil in pursuit of a baseball career. After a short stint in Los Angeles, he's now happy to be a Bobcat.
Mateus Vakuda quietly brooms the dugout steps after a weekend doubleheader.
Typically a task reserved for freshmen, there’s not a word of complaining coming from the mouth of the junior transfer.
Because of that, Vakuda has become a locker room favorite.
His teammates joke with him as he walks by.
“Matty! Matty!”
Coach Rob Smith salutes Vakuda’s calm demeanor.
“He’s certainly not going to ruffle any feathers,” Smith said.
He continues to go about his work, hardly saying a word. No complaints from him.
After all, Vakuda is living his dream — a dream that’s taken him over 8,500 miles.
FIELD OF DREAMS
Vakuda, who is of Japanese descent, was born in São Paulo, Brazil, which is located on the southeastern shore of the South American country. Nearly 1.5 million Brazilians of Japanese descent live in São Paulo, according to a 2013 Forbes report.
Arguably the “football” capital of the world, Vakuda was introduced to his country’s national pastime at an early age, being taught the game in grade school.
However, at age 6, he was introduced to the game of baseball.
“Baseball is big in the Japanese community back in Brazil,” he said. “I used to live right next to a baseball field. It’s not really common to have a baseball field in Brazil, but I happened to be right there.”
Recently, the popularity of baseball has been on the rise in Brazil, thanks mainly to the large Japanese community in the country who brought their passion for baseball after immigrating more than 100 years ago.
In 2013, the country upset Panama, one of the top baseball countries in the world, to clinch a berth in the World Baseball Classic. The team was comprised mainly of athletes of Japanese descent from São Paulo.
To help build the game of baseball, Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays opened up a baseball academy nine years ago in São Paulo. Vakuda was one of its first participants.
CALIFORNIA DREAMING
Bob Grant, coach at West Los Angeles College, was working with the Los Angeles Dodgers when he was approached by a physical therapist from the baseball academy in Brazil.
The idea was to bring Grant to São Paulo to meet some of the young athletes in hopes that one day he’d bring them to the U.S., educate them, and let them live their dream of playing baseball.
There, he met Vakuda.
“He had real good action,” Grant said of the first time he saw Vakuda.
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Grant later recommended that Vakuda join him in West Los Angeles to play baseball.
After discussing with his parents, Vakuda agreed, and in 2013, he left Brazil for the U.S.
But, when he arrived in California, his journey was just beginning.
On top of playing baseball collegiately for the first time, he had to adjust to American culture and the English language.
There were two other Brazilians from Vakuda's hometown on the team. The two helped him in school, where he had to learn English in order to study, write essays and take notes.
"It’s an incredible process and the kid has handled it very well,” Grant said.
In addition to succeeding in the classroom despite learning in a different language, Vakuda thrived on the field in West Los Angeles. In 2015, he was named Second Team All-Conference and earned Gold Glove honors at shortstop, being recognized as the best defender in the conference.
Just two short years after coming from Brazil, Vakuda had established himself as one of the most talented amateur infielders in California.
REALIZING HIS DREAM
Last year, Grant received an email from Smith, Ohio's coach.
Grant replied that he had just the player for him and after exchanging information, Smith headed west to get a glimpse.
Smith got a first-hand look at Vakuda and shortly after, offered him a scholarship to play in Ohio.
"I told Mateus they were willing to pay for his education and everything,” Grant said. “It was a Division-I program. A program on the upswing. I thought it would be a great situation for him.”
Much like he did before he left with Brazil, Vakuda conferred with his parents and decided it was again time for a change.
He was headed to Athens.
Vakuda saw the campus for the first time when he arrived in the summer of 2015.
“It was interesting because it was the first time I’ve ever seen a college town,” he said. “But I loved it. It’s a nice place.”
Now with the Bobcats, he faces a new challenge: making an impact.
In his first 12 at-bats, he has four hits, including two doubles and three RBIs. However, the road to a starting position is blocked by veteran infielders Ty Black and Tyler Finkler.
“We’re trying to find spots where he can get out there and find some opportunities,” Smith said. “In the things we’ve asked him to do, he’s done a really good job.”
As he works his way to more playing time, he’ll do it the same way he’s behaved all season: quietly and without complaints.
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