Sam Tu’ivailala has become the first Tongan to be promoted to American baseball big league.
The 21-year-old pitcher from San Mateo started the season at Class A Palm Beach before joining AA Springfield and then moving to AAA Memphis.
This week he was called up by front rankers the Cardinals.
Tu’ivailala tweeted earlier this week about how he received the great news.
“Greatest feeling in the world telling my mom “I did it, I’m going to the big leagues!” Thank you everyone for all the love & support!” he tweeted.
“It was just a crazy feeling as soon as I heard it,” Tuivailala told the American Daily Journal.
“I knew in the back of my head … maybe there’s a chance, but obviously I didn’t want to look into the future and get my expectations up there. I knew if I just competed one day at a time, maybe I’d get my chance.”
Tuivailala only began pitching professionally two years ago.
He was originally an infielder.
The Journal has described him as having “an electric right arm” and he has been recorded at pitching up to 160kmh.
After his major league debut on Tuesday, Tu’ivailala told the Journal:
“I felt good,” Tuivailala said. “I was relaxed a little bit, just kept breathing. I was just trying to soak it in and just trying to have fun out there. I feel like I pitched well. I was just glad to get my feet wet.”
His mother Julie is Hispanic and his father Sione Latu Tu’ivailala comes from Houma, Tongatapu and Matamaka through his father, Samiu Tu’ivailala.
The main points
- Sam Tu’ivailala has become the first Tongan to be promoted to American baseball big league.
- The 21-year-old pitcher was called up by front rankers the Cardinals this week.
- Tuivailala only began pitching professionally two years ago.
- The American Daily Journal has described him as having “an electric right arm”
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