Roberto Vaz begins his eighth full season as assistant baseball coach at LSU Eunice. Vaz is in charge of hitting, outfielders, base running and also assists with recruiting. Coach Vaz was previously with the program from 2011-2014 and rejoined the Bengals prior to the 2017-2018 campaign.
In addition to his duties at LSU Eunice, Vaz serves as an assistant coach for USA Baseball's 18 and under National Team.
The Brooklyn native returned to Eunice for the 2018 NJCAA National Championship season. Vaz guided a Bengals attack that led NJCAA Division II in doubles (159), walks (350) and stolen bases (241). LSUE was also top Top Five nationally in eight other hitting categories.
Vaz engineered arguably the most prolific offense in LSUE history during the 2020 season before it was cut short due to COVID-19. LSUE raced out to a 21-0 record, fueled by an offense that at the time led the nation in runs (280), RBIs (231), hit by pitch (55) and stolen bases (124) while ranking top 5 seven other statistical categories.
In his first tour with the Bengals, LSU Eunice earned its fourth NJCAA National Championship during his first season on the Cajun Prairie. The 2012 offense was highlighted by six NCAA Division I signees, led by All-American Dalton Herrington and Golden Glove recipient Stuart Turner. The Bengals also set a then-school record for wins with 57 victories.
In Coach Vaz’s second year, the Bengals were national runner-up with a 52-10 record. The offense compiled a .311 batting average while stealing 253 bases, a school record. The offense was highlighted by five position players moving on to play at D-1 schools.
In the six seasons Vaz was been with the Bengals, LSU Eunice has reached the National Championship three times, winning twice.
As a player, Vaz began his collegiate career as a member of Northeast Texas CC, helping the Eagles capture the 1996 NJCAA National Championship. The two-way star was the JUCO World Series Most Valuable Player and recipient of the tournament's "Big Stick" (top hitter) and Sportsmanship Awards after hitting a blistering .579 during the Eagles stay in Grand Junction. He was later named to the JUCO World Series Golden Anniversary Team, celebrating the World Series' 50th year in 2007. Vaz was on the 21-member team alongside baseball greats such as Kirby Puckett and Wayne Graham.
After NTCC, Vaz joined the Alabama Crimson Tide, making an immediate impact. In 1997, Vaz was named First-Team All-American, First-Team All-SEC and still holds several Crimson Tide offensive records. The outfielder and pitcher was nominated as a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award, the "Heisman Trophy" of amateur baseball. Alabama finished as NCAA Runner-Up at the College World Series in his lone year in Tuscaloosa.
A seventh round selection by the Oakland Athletics in 1997, Vaz played seven years of minor league baseball with both the A's and Texas Rangers. In 1999, Vaz helped the Vancouver Canadians capture the Triple-A World Series. Vaz compiled a career .286 batting average with 35 home runs, 77 stolen bases and 249 RBIs in 494 minor league games.
| About Roberto Vaz |
Full Name
Roberto Rafael Vaz III |
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Hometown
Brooklyn, NY (Puerto Rican descent) |
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Education
1994-1996 Northeast Texas CC, AA of Science
1996-1997; 2004 University of Alabama, Bachelors of Social Work |
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Playing Experience
1994-1996 Northeast Texas CC (1996 NJCAA National Champions)
1996-1997 University of Alabama (1997 SEC Tournament Champions)
1997-2002 Oakland Athletics Organization (1999 Triple-A Champions- Vancouver Canadians)
2002-2004 Texas Rangers Organization
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Coaching Experience
2006-2010 Assistant Coach, Grissom High School (Huntsville, AL)
2009-2011 Head Coach, North Alabama Expos
2011- 2014 Assistant Coach, LSU Eunice
2012- 2014 Head Coach, Mohawk Valley Diamond Dawgs (Perfect Game Colligate League)
2014-2015 Assistant Coach, McNeese State University
2015-2016 Assistant Coach, Buckhorn High School (Huntsville, AL)
2017-Present Assistant Coach, LSU Eunice
2022-Present Assistant Coach, USA Baseball National Team (18U) |
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