Mariana de Paula and Brazil’s WBC Run

Brazil press officer Mariana de Paula looking on during her team's postgame press conference during the 2026 World Baseball Classic in Houston

Photo by Evan Thompson/Sport Relay

March 21, 2026

Mariana de Paula and Brazil’s WBC Appearance

HOUSTON — When Brazil clinched its spot in the World Baseball Classic by taking down China and beating Germany twice, Mariana de Paula didn’t wait for the celebration to fade. She didn’t even wait for the next morning.

“I felt incredibly proud,” she told Sport Relay before Brazil’s game against Great Britain. Baseball isn’t a headline sport in Brazil, and qualifying wasn’t a fluke. “It wasn’t an easy path — it was earned,” she said. That same night, she emailed Major League Baseball with a simple message: she wanted to be Brazil’s press officer when they arrived. “I want to help them grow… help market this team… help these guys in every step of the way here.”

She’s done exactly that.

From Santos to the WBC

Born and raised in Santos, São Paulo (the state, not the city), Mariana grew up in a family of swimmers. Her brother attended the University of Hawaii on a swimming scholarship. She and her identical twin sister followed the same path, landing in Florida.

Pensacola is where baseball found her. The local Double‑A ballpark became a regular stop. During her senior year, a friend working there asked if she wanted a job. She didn’t know much about baseball, but she said yes. “I loved working with the T‑ball kids,” she said. The ballpark had a sign she still remembers: Every day is opening day. It stuck with her. “For us it looks like another day on the job, but for everybody else in the ballpark, it’s an incredible memory.” That was the moment she knew she wanted to stay in the sport.

A PR Path That Led Back Home

Mariana’s background is in public relations — a bachelor’s degree in PR and a master’s in sports management. After moving to San Francisco for another job, she found herself drawn to the ballpark again. She didn’t have a team and didn’t root for anyone. However, she loved the environment and the chance to help athletes the way she once was helped. She applied for a San Francisco Giants internship in 2019 and stayed. Now she is the Media Relations Coordinator for the Giants.

Working under Giants Vice President of Media Relations Matt Chisholm shaped her approach. “It’s really the exact same role,” she said, describing her work with Brazil. The notes, the coordination, the communication — all familiar. The difference is the jersey. “I get to do it for my country.”

What an Automatic Bid Would Have Meant

Prior to Brazil’s game against Great Britain March 9, Mariana didn’t hide how she’d feel if Brazil were to win and secure an automatic berth in the next WBC. “Incredibly proud,” she beamed. Avoiding another long wait to qualify would be huge. “You’re going to see a lot of partying from these guys.” She knows where Brazil stands in the baseball landscape. “It’s nowhere near the other nations participating here,” she explained, but the passion is real, and the community is larger than people realize. An automatic bid would have given the sport a boost back home.

…But It Went the Other Way

The loss didn’t break her. Before the game, she predicted how she would have felt. “Disappointed, because we know we’re better than that,” but she also noted the pride was going to remain. Many players have full‑time jobs and made sacrifices to be at the World Baseball Classic. One pitcher — Joseph Contreras, son of Jose — was a high school student in the Atlanta area who pitched in the World Baseball Classic on his spring break. Their game against the United States — where they took a 2–0 lead that stunned the ballpark — showed what they’re capable of. “In a lot of ways, the job was accomplished,” de Paula said. People watched, and people noticed.

After the Final Out

With the loss to Great Britain, Brazil missed the automatic bid. But the pride de Paula described never wavered. “Oh, I will volunteer for sure,” she said when asked about what would happen if Brazil were to qualify for the next WBC. Then she added, almost casually: “I volunteered today already.”

Main Photo:

HOUSTON (Mar. 9) — Brazil press officer Mariana de Paula (right) looks on with other media relations workers during the press conference following Brazil’s 2026 World Baseball Classic Pool B game against Great Britain. (Photo by Evan Thompson/Sport Relay)