Earlier this month, Oakton was greeted by a very unique group of visitors. During the week of September 29th to October 3rd, Oakton’s baseball program played host to a team of players who traveled from Europe and were practicing for their shot at being recruited by American college coaches. The team, known fittingly as the International Stars, was composed of players from an array of European countries, including representatives from France, Spain, and the Netherlands. Although they hail from different nationalities, the players all shared one goal – to play college baseball in the United States.

For French pitcher Yoann Vaugelade, playing baseball had been a foreign concept until he was in elementary school. His school teacher, a former player from Cuba, taught his class how to play the game, and Yoann was immediately immersed. Once he started, Yoann played relentlessly, quickly rising to stardom on the French baseball scene. In a matter of years, he had gone from playing Sunday league ball on sand lots in his neighborhood to playing for the highly touted French National Academy, a team which played ball all across Europe in various international showcases. The most notable of these showcases was the Major League camp, an exhibition which was known to offer lucrative opportunities for the attendees. While he was there, Yoann was introduced to the founder of his current showcase team, Coach Mauro Mazziotti, who had then been serving as a scout for the Baltimore Orioles. “They selected only a few of the top players from each European country to attend [the showcase],” said Vaugelade. “I was lucky enough to be selected, and it was there that I got to meet Coach Mazziotti.”

Many of Vaugelade’s teammates share similar stories of being recruited by Mazziotti. One of his teammates, Dutch third baseman Damian Melis, had played for a club in the European rookie league when Mazziotti discovered him. Since being added to the team, Melis’ aspirations for playing college ball have soared. “I really hope to play baseball in America some day,” said Melis. “These showcases have given me an amazing opportunity to follow my dream.”

Along with the baseball showcases, the visiting players got a chance to explore America, as well as interact with some players on Oakton’s own baseball team. Between a joint scrimmage and a meet-and-greet luncheon, the players from both teams were able to get in touch with the different countries and cultures involved. “It was so cool to interact with these guys,” said sophomore Owen Lamon. “They played with so much love for the game. You rarely see people as happy and enthusiastic here in America.” The European players also got a chance to tour Washington DC, a trip which really left an impact on some of the players, including Melis. “Everything in America is so much bigger, and grander,” he said. “Going back to the Netherlands, I’ll be looking at [the world], as well as my baseball, much differently.”