Kōtarō Kiyomiya

Kōtarō Kiyomiya (清宮 幸太郎, born May 25, 1999 in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese baseball player who currently plays for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball's (NPB) Pacific League as a First Baseman. A left-handed batter and right-handed thrower, Kotaro stands 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) tall and weighs 225 pounds (102 kg). He was the first pick of the Fighters in the 2017 draft. He is the son of notable Japanese rugby union coach, Katsuyuki Kiyomiya.

Kōtarō Kiyomiya
Kōtarō Kiyomiya with the Fighters in 2022.
Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters – No. 21
infielder
Born: (1999-05-25) May 25, 1999
Tokyo, Japan
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
NPB debut
May 2, 2018, for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters
NPB statistics
(through August 7, 2022)
Batting average.206
Home runs34
Runs batted in105
Teams
Career highlights and awards
Japanese High School Baseball
  • Holds Japanese High School Baseball record for most Home Runs with 111 home runs[1]

NPB

Medals
Men's baseball
Representing  Japan
2017 U-18 Baseball World Cup
Bronze medal – third place 2017 U-18 Baseball World Cup Team

Early career

Kiyomiya drew major news attention since the 2012 Little League World Series, where at the age of 13 he employed an 80 mph fastball (major league equivalent of throwing 104 MPH) to lead Team Japan to a 12–2 LLWS championship win over Goodlettsville (TN). He was also noted to have hit 60 home runs in 50 games[3] Kiyomiya then went to Waseda Jitsugyo High School where he set the Japanese High School Baseball record for home runs with 111 home runs over three seasons in high school. On August 23, 2017, it was announced that he will serve as captain of Samurai Japan for the 2017 U-18 Baseball World Cup.

Professional career

Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters

Seven teams chose Kotaro in the first round of the 2017 NPB draft, the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters won the right to negotiate with Kiyomiya by winning the lottery.[4] Kotaro then chose the jersey number 21.[5]

On February 27, 2019, he was selected for Japan national baseball team at the 2019 exhibition games against Mexico,[6] but on March 4, 2019, he canceled his participation due to broken right hamate bone.[7]

References
  1. Coskrey, Jason (26 October 2017). "Fighters land rights to prized slugger Kotaro Kiyomiya". Retrieved 3 December 2017 – via Japan Times Online.
  2. "【データ】清宮幸太郎、球宴サヨナラ弾は86年巨人吉村以来36年ぶり７本目「９回２死」からは初 - プロ野球 : 日刊スポーツ".
  3. Zaldivar, Gabe. "Little League World Series: Japan's Kotaro Kiyomiya Is Biggest Little Star". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  4. Coskrey, Jason (26 October 2017). "Fighters land rights to prized slugger Kotaro Kiyomiya". Retrieved 3 December 2017 – via Japan Times Online.
  5. "Nippon Ham, Kiyomiya No. 21 "To the batter who represents Japan"". 24 November 2017. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  6. "ENEOS 侍ジャパンシリーズ2019「日本 vs メキシコ」に出場するメンバー28名が決定". 野球日本代表 侍ジャパン オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). February 18, 2019. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
  7. "「ENEOS 侍ジャパンシリーズ2019」日本チーム出場選手変更（辞退）について". 野球日本代表 侍ジャパン オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). March 4, 2019. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
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