Hiroki Kondo (outfielder)

Hiroki Kondō (近藤 弘基, Kondō Hiroki, born February 2, 1993) is a Japanese former professional baseball outfielder. He played for the Chunichi Dragons of the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).

Hiroki Kondō
Outfielder
Born: (1993-02-12) February 12, 1993
Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
NPB debut
2 August, 2016, for the Chunichi Dragons
NPB statistics
(through 2018)
Batting average.184
RBIs5
Home runs3
Teams

His father is former Dragons pitching coach, Shinichi Kondō the only NPB pitcher to throw a no-hitter on debut.[1]

Early career

Under his father's influence, former Chunichi Dragons pitcher Shinichi, Kondō started playing baseball in the 3rd grade of elementary school.[2] In junior high school he joined a rubber ball baseball team but hated practice.[2][3] In his 3rd year of junior high, young Kondō was concerned over which high school he should go to and after being shown a video of his father pitching at the 68th Koshien with Kyoei High School, it was decided that he would join his father's alma mater.[3] He was a bench player in his second year, but rose to be vice-captain. However, he was unable to make appearances with his team in either the summer or spring koshien tournaments.[3] In 2011, Kondō started university at Meijo University with the law department.

In his sophomore year of university, Kondō was mostly deployed as a third baseman or outfielder but in his junior year he became a regular in the outfield[4] where he took out best nine honours in both the Spring and Fall Aichi University Leagues.[4] In 2014, his senior year, Kondō would captain his side and receive the fighting-spirit award for the Spring league.[5]　He was also selected 2 years in a row (2013 and 2014) for the Baseball Association in Aichi representative team.[6][7]

While he had the desire to continue his baseball pathway in the industrial leagues, GM Hiromitsu Ochiai ensured that Kondō would be a Dragons player by selecting him as their 4th pick in the 2014 development draft.[8][9]

Professional career

2015

In 2015, Kondō played 22 games for the Dragons farm team in the Western League getting only 4 hits in 34 at-bats for an average of .125.[10]

2016

On 14 July, he was moved off a development player contract and added to the overall roster. His number was changed from 213 to 67.[1][11]

On 2 August, Kondō made his first team debut for the Dragons against the Yomiuri Giants starting in left-field and batting number 2 in the line-up.[12] He shined on his debut proving to be the most effective hitter for the Dragons on the day getting 3 hits and 2 RBIs in 5 at-bats.[13][14]

On 14 August, he hit his first pro home run in an 8-1 loss to the Hanshin Tigers at Kyocera Dome off Suguru Iwazaki.[15][16]

Kondō finished his first season in pro baseball playing in 21 games, hitting .186 with 2 homeruns.

On November 27, 2019, Kondō announced his retirement.[17]

References
  1. "中日・近藤真市Ｊｒ．弘基が支配下へ １４年育成ドラフト４位の外野手(Chunichi: 2014 Draft number 4 outfielder Shinichi Kondoh Jr moves under control )". Daily Sports News. 12 July 2016. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
  2. "中日育成2位 近藤弘基外野手 偉大な父の影を払拭". Sponichi. 14 November 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  3. "「真市の息子」いつか父超える 享栄・近藤弘基君 愛知("Shinichi's son" One day he will surpass his father;Kyoei's Hiroki Kondō; Aichi)". Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). 20 July 2010. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  4. ""オレ流視察"の成果だ 中日が近藤コーチの長男獲得へ("My way of insepction" results: Chunichi's coach Kondō's acquisition of eldest son)". Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). 22 October 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  5. "愛知大学野球連盟リーグ戦1部表彰選手 (Aichi University Baseball Association League 1 Awards)". Aichi University Baseball Association (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 6 February 2015. Retrieved 26 July 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  6. "平成２５年度 愛知大学野球連盟選抜チーム一覧(2013 Baseball Association in Aichi Representative Team)" (PDF). Baseball Association in Aichi (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  7. "平成２６年度 愛知大学野球連盟選抜チーム一覧(2014 Baseball Association in Aichi Representative Team)" (PDF). Baseball Association in Aichi (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  8. "中日ドラフト隠し球、近藤コーチの長男(Chunichi's draft hidden delivery, Coach Kondō's eldest son)". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 13 October 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  9. "中日 近藤投手コーチの長男・弘基を育成で指名(Chunichi: Coach Kondō's eldest son Hiroki picked up on development contract)". Sponichi (in Japanese). 23 October 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  10. "2015年度 中日ドラゴンズ 中日ドラゴンズ 個人打撃成績（ウエスタン・リーグ）(2015 Chunichi Dragons individual batting statistics (Western League))". Nippon Professional Baseball (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  11. "新規支配下選手登録(New player registration)". Nippon Professional Baseball (in Japanese). Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  12. "【中日】近藤Ｊｒ、出場選手登録即「２番・左翼」スタメン…父と同じ巨人戦でデビュー(Chunichi: Kondoh Jr registered to play #2, LF. Faces same team on debut as father...)". Sports Hochi (in Japanese). 2 August 2016. Retrieved 4 August 2016.
  13. "Tuesday, August 2, 2016". Nippon Professional Baseball. 2 August 2016. Retrieved 4 August 2016.
  14. "中日近藤いきなり猛打賞 父真市コーチとグータッチ(Chunichi's Kondō surprisingly most productive; shares fist-bump with dad)". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 2 August 2016. Retrieved 4 August 2016.
  15. "中日・近藤がプロ初本塁打「がむしゃらにいった感じ」" (in Japanese). Sanspo. 14 August 2016. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  16. "Sunday, August 14, 2016". Nippon Professional Baseball. 14 August 2016. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  17. "中日で"親子鷹"戦力外の近藤弘基が引退表明「別の仕事でしっかり」16年には父の前で猛打賞". 中スポ (in Japanese). November 27, 2019. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
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