Keeping his father’s memory alive, UM baseball commit aims to lead Miami Springs to state

Like most kids who grow up playing the sport, baseball was everywhere in Brandon Olivera’s life growing up.

“In this house, we ate, slept and breathed baseball,” Olivera’s mother, Angela Ferrer said.

For Olivera, a senior right-handed pitcher at Miami Springs, the reason for that was his father, Isaul.

His guidance, coaching him throughout his youth baseball career, put him on a path to becoming a University of Miami signee and potential MLB draft pick this summer.

“We were always together throughout that time,” Olivera said. “He was super happy for me and proud of me for going to UM.”

Sadly, Olivera hasn’t had his father at his side the past few months on his journey to the next level.

This past January, Olivera’s father collapsed after suffering a heart attack while working at nearby Mater Academy where he coached. He died shortly after at age 53.

Brandon was on campus at Miami Springs that afternoon when his coach, David Fanshawe, got a phone call telling him what happened.

“I remember I broke down at first, but I knew I had to take him to the hospital,” Fanshawe said. “I had to break the news to him. I got a lot of phone calls and I think he was suspecting the worst. After that for me, it was just about figuring out how to support him and his family.”

Miami Springs baseball picking up late-season momentum after ‘Field of Dreams’ win

Fanshawe and numerous others at Springs and throughout the Miami baseball community, who knew him and his family or were coached by his father, have spent the past four months doing just that.

Last month, before the Golden Hawks played a game against Southwest Miami at loanDepot park, the Marlins arranged to honor Olivera’s father by putting his name and picture on the scoreboard pregame.

Miami Springs has placed the No. 6 jersey Olivera’s father wore when he coached at MVP Baseball Academy in Miami in theirs or every visiting dugout they’ve used this season.

And last week during the team’s Senior Day festivities, Mater Academy’s baseball team presented Olivera and his family with the jersey his father wore over the year and a half prior to his passing when coaching the Lions.

“It meant a lot to see them honor my dad and I know he’s taking care of all of us from up there and I knew he would have loved it,” Olivera said.

Mater Academy players and coaches have also worn Olivera’s father’s number on their hats, jerseys and either on cleats or wristbands this season.

“For us, every day is his day,” said Mater Academy coach Humberto Bencomo, who knew Isaul for over 10 years even before they began coaching together. “His father was a very humble guy and always wanted to help. Even in games sometimes, things don’t go right, but he always stayed positive and was always there to help. Just a phenomenal person.”

Isaul Olivera, who worked for DirecTV by day, was well-known in the community, and coached numerous notable players including Springs alum and UM freshman Jason Torres and Doral Academy shortstop Adrian Santana.

But Ferrer said his love for his family, which includes Brandon’s brother, Brian and his half-sister, Anaisa, was above all.

“You can imagine, it’s been really hard for us, especially something that was so unexpected,” Ferrer said. “But Brandon keeps fighting and working and doing what he can to move forward. He was a great father to him and was with him every step along the way in baseball.”

Olivera couldn’t bring himself to come back to the field for several days after his father’s death. But after taking some time, getting back on the mound and familiar surroundings was a source of healing.

In the meantime, Olivera’s friends on the team like pitcher Jordan Vargas have made sure he’s good mentally as he copes with his tragic loss. Vargas said he often came over to Olivera’s house or brought him over to his to play PlayStation 4 or go throw together to take his mind off things for a while.

“Brandon has been a dog for us. When it first happened, it was really hard on him,” Vargas said. “He wanted to step up for us after I got hurt early and he did. We knew his dad was watching on as he did that.”

Olivera didn’t take long to recover the form that put him on UM and pro scouts’ radars in the first place. His four pitch mix, including a low 90s fastball, curveball, slider and changeup give him starter projectability at the next level.

Ranked 145th among high school draft prospects by Baseball America, Olivera began his career at Mater Academy in eighth grade before playing his freshman and sophomore seasons at Goleman. He transferred to Springs before his junior year.

Olivera is 6-2 with a 1.08 ERA with 43 strikeouts and 19 walks over 39 innings this season. This week, he tossed a three-hitter, striking out nine to beat Mater Lakes and help Springs win the District 15-4A title. The Golden Hawks will next host Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons Tuesday afternoon in a Region 4-4A quarterfinal.

His goal before he leaves to UM or signs pro is to lead Miami Springs to its first state title.

“(Brandon)’s not the type of kid that wanted anyone to feel sorry for him,” Fanshawe said. “First thing that ran through my mind was how he would react. But he’s tough and mature beyond his years. It’s obviously not easy to lose your pops. But he’s weathered it. He and I speak often about it and we don’t try to avoid the subject because we don’t want to create a situation where we’re afraid to speak his name. He wants everyone to know who his dad was.”