Justin Su’a can call himself a Major League Baseball All-Star.
Su’a, who was a pitcher at BYU in the early 2000s, won’t play in the Midsummer Classic on Tuesday at Coors Field in Denver, but as head of mental performance for the Tampa Bay Rays, Su’a will be on the American League’s staff led by Rays manager Kevin Cash.
Su’a is believed to be the first Samoan to be on an MLB All-Star Game staff.
This marks the latest accomplishment for Su’a in what has been a very successful career in helping athletes with their mental performance. Prior to joining the Rays in 2018, Su’a worked for the NFL’s Cleveland Browns and MLB’s Boston Red Sox. Before that, he was at IMG Academy in Florida, which is known for being a powerhouse in prep football and basketball.
During his time at BYU, Su’a went 11-4 with three saves, having pitched 137.1 innings with 103 strikeouts against 84 runs.
On Monday, it was announced that Los Angeles Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani will be both the AL’s starting pitcher and leadoff hitter Tuesday. He will also compete in the Home Run Derby on Monday night.