UCLA’s 5-Foot-4 Leadoff Hitter Is The Smallest Player In College Baseball And He Is Wicked Fast

AT&T Sportsnet

What’s cool about baseball is that pretty much anyone of any size can play. On one end of the spectrum, there is a 6-foot-7, 285-pound Aaron Judge, and on the other, there is Kenny Oyama.

Oyama, a fifth-year graduate transfer, hits leadoff for UCLA after spending his first four years with Loyola Marymount. He stands 5-foot-4, 150 pounds and is the (unofficial) smallest player in college baseball.

While in his senior season with the Lions, Oyama recorded career-bests in every slash category (.330/.412/.422) while also establishing personal bests in runs (27), hits (57), doubles (15), RBIs (22), walks (22), and stolen bases (16). He also walked nearly as many times as he struck out (24).

After bursting onto the scene in 2021, the Bruins brought Oyama across Los Angeles to add a boost at the top of the lineup in 2022. He is wicked fast and having him on base to start an inning is a huge boost for the offense.

Oyama has scored 13 runs on 13 hits in 12 games this season, knocked in four RBIs, and walked seven times in 48 at-bats. Yes, that is correct, he has stolen a base for every game played.

Over the weekend, UCLA traveled to Texas and Oyama casually stole second and third during the same at-bat. And then, on a pop fly to left field, there was no way that he wasn’t going to tag and score.

He can flat-out MOVE.

Oyama’s run scored helped lead the Bruins to an upset win over No. 1 Texas, but it’s not the first time that he has flown around the basepath and it won’t be the last.

If you aren’t all about the Oyama train yet, get on now, because it will leave the station before you can even say Oyama. He’s as fast as they come.