Air Force discovers another gem in Malakye Matsumoto

Whomever is responsible for discovering late-blooming high school baseball prospects in Southern California for the Air Force Academy deserves a raise.

It was six years ago when Air Force took away a 6-foot-7 pitcher/catcher named Paul Skenes from El Toro High. Last season Skenes won the National League Cy Young Award.

This season, Air Force has found another tall, promising prospect in 6-5 Malakye Matsumoto from Sherman Oaks Notre Dame High. As a freshman he played on the freshman team. As a sophomore, he was on junior varsity. He pitched just three innings last season on varsity. This season, with a fastball that has touched 94 mph, he’s become a key closer for the Knights (14-1). He’s also hitting .385 with two home runs, the first of his career.

Yes, Matsumoto is well aware of Skenes’ journey and inspired by it.

“That’s the route. That’s the goal,” he said.

Matsumoto said Air Force started identifying him as a junior and saw him perform during a travel ball tournament. Selling him on Air Force was not difficult because of his family experience. His father and grandfather were in the Air Force and his uncle was in the Army. He has a 4.3 grade-point average.

“My dad told me everything about the Air Force,” he said. “Teaching me discipline, making me a better man and setting me up for life.”

Patience and trusting the process have been Matsumoto’s two guiding principles.

He appreciated spending his first two years getting to play on lower-level teams with no pressure of immediately playing on varsity while waiting for his body to mature.

“The biggest thing was it helped me build up my confidence,” he said. “I got to play shortstop the whole year, batted third. It helped me build a foundation. I started to grow, get stronger and become more comfortable.”

He had no problem “staying in the background.”

“Nobody really knew about me,” he said. “It allowed me to have more fun while playing the game. I didn’t feel pressure at the plate playing JV baseball.”

But the coaches knew about Matsumoto’s potential as they saw him grow from 5-10 to 6-5. Strength coach Nick Garcia said Matsumoto never missed a workout in the weight room. He played second base, third base and shortstop as a junior on varsity. He got in briefly on the mound. It all set up for him to show what could do as a senior.

“We always knew he would develop and be a big impact player down the road,” co-coach Nick LaFace said. “Last year his defense needed to get better, he worked at it and has been playing an amazing third base. He definitely has a big-time arm.”

There’s many different ways to fulfill baseball potential. Some stop growing after Little League stardom. Others are ready to play on varsity as freshmen because of their physical and mental prowess. Matsumoto reminds parents to not be so fast about lobbying for immediate varsity playing time.

“They don’t understand it puts a lot of pressure on kids,” he said. “I’ve seen it. They get called up immediately freshman year. All the pressure is put on their shoulders. Parents want them to be on varsity not realizing they either won’t play or when they are exposed to high-level pitching, high-level hitting, being that young, unless they are really a varsity-level player, they’re going to get exposed or it’s either going to be humiliating or lower the confidence.”

Matsumoto’s mother is of Korean descent and is principal at Hawthorne Math and Science Academy. His father is of Japanese descent and works in security.

As for the Air Force, don’t expect Matsumoto to be flying anytime soon.

“They told me I won’t be able to fit in some planes being 6-5,” he said.

Don’t worry. They had the same answer for the 6-7 Skenes, who turned out pretty good.

Skenes left Air Force after two years, but Matsumoto likes what he sees in his journey.

“It sets me up for life,” he said.

But things change, and beware of Matsumoto, the pitcher. He’s just learning what he can do.

“Pitching has become more of a reality,” he said. “I’m totally open to it in college. I’m going as a two-way player.”