UCLA first baseman Mulivai Levu says his hand-eye coordination comes from performing Samoan fire knife dancing. The No. 62 MLB Draft prospect spoke about the connection at the draft combine in Phoenix. He is set to be selected in the top three rounds on July 11.
Levu began performing at age nine with his uncle's Polynesian entertainment troupe. The ritual, known as Siva Afi, involves spinning ignited machete-like blades at high speeds and traces its roots to Samoan warrior traditions.
Over three seasons at UCLA, Levu posted a .940 OPS and improved each year. As a junior he hit .340 with an .441 on-base percentage, .662 slugging percentage, 18 home runs and 63 RBIs.
The low 17 percent miss rate in 2026 highlights his contact skills, though he has worked to improve his walk rate. Teammate Roch Cholowsky has called him the best hitter in the country.
Levu hopes to represent his Polynesian and Samoan heritage in the majors, following the path of cousin Blake Sabol, who plays in the Rays organization. He plans to continue fire knife dancing when his schedule allows.