Line-drive doubles, double plays, double steals – the game of baseball is full of doubles, and the Tulua twins, Siale and Sione of the class of 2028, aimed to leave their own “double” mark on the sport with their debut on the Breakthrough Series team at the recently concluded 2025 Arizona Jr. Fall Classic.
The identical twins from Union City, Calif., represented the future of the MLB Develops program and the growing potential of the Major League youth development pipeline that has already produced Major League stars like Reds pitcher Hunter Greene, A’s outfielder Lawrence Butler and Rays outfielder Chandler Simpson.
“We saw Sione and Siale back in February at the ID Tour in Sunnyvale, California, and were really just locked in on their physical presence,” said Kindu Jones, manager of baseball development for MLB. “They both physically looked the part … from that standpoint, we liked what we saw, and so we invited them to other events that we did in the summer, like the Hank Aaron Invitational, and finally we're here at this event.”
The twins participated in their first tournament as members of the MLB Breakthrough Series team, an exciting and unique opportunity for any young baseball prospect. And for the Arizona Jr. Fall Classic, they had a chance to play at Tempe Diablo Stadium, Spring Training home of the Angels.
“It's really special,” said Siale Tulua, who primarily plays the corner infield positions. “Me and him, we're just going through it with each other, just learning new things. Just having him as company has been great.”
His brother Sione, a primary catcher, is aware of how special an opportunity they have as new members of the MLB Develops family and the USA Baseball development pool. Players in their same shoes have gone on to play at the Major League level and excelled there.
“[It’s] so great to be out here with a bunch of new guys and great coaches who've been in MLB, and just to be out here in Arizona,” said Sione. “It's an honor to be selected to come here and to play for the name on the front.”
Naturally, the twins are inseparable, relying on one another to make sure they stay focused on their goals, and pushing each other to elevate their skills on and off the field.
“We keep each other in check for school first, and then whenever we have free time, get on the field, fielding, hitting, whatever it is,” said Sione. “We like to be the first ones there and the last ones to leave.”
Many times, the bond and connection between brothers, especially twins, is a special one that is difficult to put into words, but easy to see when it plays out in front of you. This is especially true when the brothers are two exceptional baseball players and teammates with the potential to take their talents far and wide.
“Some people call it twin telepathy; say he does something bad, I look at him, and he just goes like this, and we're both back locked in,” said Siale. “We've been with each other since birth, and we want to see each other grow and just support each other, whatever we do.”
The ultimate goal for any young players like the Tulua twins is to play baseball at the highest level possible, and the MLB Develops team is doing its best to help them realize those goals, while also staying on the lookout for more brotherly bonds on the field.