When college baseball players begin looking for a place to play summer ball, they usually go to their coaches who use their connections.
Some get recommendations from friends or family. Some just hear about a nearby team through social media. Others are invited.
But Yuichiro Kumagami just Googled it, then filled out the online form. And that is how Kumagami, native of Miyagi, Japan, ended up in Lake Charles, Louisiana, as the new catcher for the Gumbeaux Gators.
Oh. First there was a two-year stop in Creshman, Oregon, where he played ball for Mount Hood Community College. And there were previous summers spent playing in North and South Carolina. But this is his first trip to the south.
“Oregon is no humidity,” he said. “The temperature is really different.”
So are the facilities, he said. The Gators work and play at McNeese State University.
“The facilities are beautiful,” he said. “I went to a JUCO in Oregon. It’s not a Division I school. This is really nice compared to my college.”
Kumagami – who goes by Kuma – said he first came to America in a program that allowed him to play baseball and learn English. He hit .238 with 16 RBIs and one home run. In two weeks with the Gators he has played in seven games and is hitting .267 with two RBIs.
But mostly, he is getting to know his teammates, who are teaching him their ways.
“The people are really nice and kind,” he said. “They took me to a mall. Shopping. Trying different foods.”
Gators coach James Landreneau said Kumagami is fitting in well.
“It’s been kind of fun to see him share his culture with them,” he said. “I was concerned about the language barrier, but he’s been phenomenal,” Landreau said. “He’s been able to get the signs down and does a really good job. He asks questions. He’s figured out how to communicate really well with them. It hasn’t been really hard at all for us to adapt to him. I think the kids really appreciate that he comes in with a language barrier but doesn’t use that as an excuse. He’s doing everything he can to help the team.”
It helps that he is a solid player, as well.
“He’s a really good defensive catcher,” Landreneau said. “He’s catching really well. Receives the ball well. Has a really good baseball I.Q. The pitchers are really comfortable pitching to him because he’s able to be athletic enough back there to make adjustments behind the plate. He has really soft hands and throws the ball really well. He’s been a good fit for us.”
Kumagami said, while the language and cultures might be different, the game is the same.
“In America they play more games,” he said. “In Japan they practice more. That’s the biggest difference.”
Kumagami’s next stop will be Central Methodist University, a NAIA Division I school in Fayette, Missouri. But, first he will get a good look at Louisiana and Texas with the Gumbeaux Gators, and maybe get to see a real alligator, something he said he has not yet seen – or eaten.
“I hope to see some more of Louisiana,” Kumagami said. “Try some new foods.”
By Lori Lyons