Takuma Katō

Takuma Katō (加藤 匠馬, Katō Takuma, born April 29, 1992 in Matsusaka, Mie, Japan) is a professional Japanese baseball player. He plays catcher for the Chunichi Dragons, and formerly played for the Chiba Lotte Marines.

Takuma Katō
Chunichi Dragons – No. 69
Catcher
Born: (1992-04-29) April 29, 1992
Matsusaka, Mie, Japan
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
debut
May 31, 2015, for the Chunichi Dragons
NPB statistics
(through 2020 season)
Batting average.213
Home runs0
RBI14
Teams

Early career

Katō started playing baseball in elementary school and was a pitcher when he reached junior high.

At Mie High School, in his freshman year he converted to catching and by fall of his junior year he had become a regular behind the dish. He took part in the Spring Invitational in his senior year where he caught the attention of scouts after throwing out a runner.[1]

He was regular catcher at Aoyama Gakuin University from fall of his first year where he learned to adapt his release from behind the plate to catch faster, more skilled runners.[2]

On 22 October 2014, Katō was selected 5th by the Chunichi Dragons at the 2014 NPB Draft and on 16 November signed a provisional contract with a ¥35,000,000 sign-on bonus and a ¥8,000,000 yearly salary[3]

Professional career

2015-2018

On 31 May 2015, Katō made his first professional appearance as a defensive replacement against the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters. On 22 May 2016 against the Yomiuri Giants, Katō made his first plate appearance in the 8th inning where he fell to a first base foul fly.

On 25 November 2016, Katō was selected alongside Ryōsuke Nomura, Shōta Suzuki, Ryōta Ishioka, Hayato Mizowaki and Hiroki Kondō to take part in the 2016 Asia Winter Baseball League.[4]

In 2017, Katō made only one appearance in the Dragons first team while in 2018 he failed to make any appearances

2019-Present

With incoming coaches Tsutomu Itō and Takeshi Nakamura wanting to solidify the catching position, Katō was identified, along with his "bazooka" arm to be given more time in the first-team to develop.[5][6] With the team adopting a 3-catcher rotation of mainly Katō, Shōta Ōno and Takuya Kinoshita,[7] he played in a total of 92 games, the most of any Chunichi catcher, batting .228.

On 15 June 2021, it was announced that Kato had been traded to the Chiba Lotte Marines for outfielder Shohei Kato.[8]

Play style

Katō's biggest asset is his strong arm nicknamed the "Katō bazooka".[9]

He has been measured at a pop-time of 1.8 seconds.[10] Chunichi coaches Tsutomu Itō and Takeshi Nakamura have said that "his arm rivals that of (Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks catcher) Takuya Kai while also mentioning that "smoke comes off the ball when he throws it".[11]

In the 2018 Western League season against the stolen base league leaders, the Hanshin Tigers, Katō threw out 8 consecutive runners.[11]

Personal

The Dragons were Katō's local team as a boy and he recalls coming to Nagoya Dome twice to cheer on the team.[9] Upon signing for the Dragons, Katō mentioned "I'm very happy to be putting on the uniform of the club I supported as a kid."[12]

On 28 May 2018, Katō married, Kana, an office worker from Aichi prefecture.[13]

References
  1. Takagi, Yu (2014-11-07). "「ポスト谷繁」の懸案解消なるか？ アマ球界随一の鉄砲肩・加藤匠馬に寄せる期待". Baseball Channel (in Japanese). Retrieved 2019-02-04.
  2. "中日５位・加藤匠馬（青山学院大）「大学で味わった初めての悔しさ」 – SPORTS COMMUNICATIONS". Ninomiya Sports (in Japanese). 2015-02-09. Retrieved 2019-02-04.
  3. "加藤 匠馬（青山学院大）｜ドラフト･レポート". Draft Report. Retrieved 2019-02-04.
  4. "NPBメンバー表 2016アジアウインターベースボールリーグ（AWB". 一般社団法人日本野球機構 (in Japanese). 2016-11-26. Retrieved 2019-02-04.
  5. "2軍落ちでも「やるべきことをしっかり」中日・加藤匠馬が早出特守50分 過熱する捕手サバイバルで再浮上狙う" [Even though dropped to 2-gun Kato "will do what he has to do". Arrives 50 minutes early to practice in battle for catchers mask]. 2020-02-23 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2020-03-11.
  6. "加藤、猛省３暴投止められず" [Kato can't stop 3 passed balls]. Chunichi Sports (in Japanese). 2019-04-13. Retrieved 2020-03-11.
  7. "強肩捕手・加藤が広島止める" [Strong armed catcher, Kato stops Hiroshima]. Chunichi Sports (in Japanese). 2019-04-02. Retrieved 2020-03-11.
  8. "中日・加藤匠馬捕手とロッテ・加藤翔平外野手が交換トレード "加藤同士"…中日は得点力アップを期待：中日スポーツ・東京中日スポーツ". Chunichi Sports (in Japanese). 2021-06-15. Retrieved 2021-06-15.
  9. Shibutani, Shin (2019-03-23). "7人の野球部育ちの"バズーカ捕手"。加藤匠馬は中日変革の象徴となるか。（渋谷真）" [The Bazooka Catcher developed by a 7 player club. Can Takuma Kato be the face of the Chunichi revival?]. Sports Graphic Number (in Japanese). Retrieved 2020-03-11.
  10. "青学大が始動 ドラフト候補の加藤、初のＶへ意気込む" [Aoyama Gakuin Uni is moving; Draft shortlisted Kato looks at first victory]. Sponichi (in Japanese). 2014-01-05. Retrieved 2020-03-11.
  11. Eda, Ryo (2018-11-30). "「甲斐キャノン」に匹敵する 中日ドラゴンズ加藤匠馬 『その男 "強肩" につき』" [Takuma Kato "rivals Kai cannon"]. CBC Dragons News (in Japanese). Retrieved 2020-03-11.
  12. "2014年 ドラフト入団選手 加藤 匠馬" [First interview with 2014 draftees]. Chunichi Dragons Official Website (in Japanese). 2014-11-22. Retrieved 2020-03-11.
  13. "中日加藤匠馬「頑張りたい」昨年５月に結婚していた" [Chunichi's Takuma Kato "I want to do my best" Married in May last year.]. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 2019-03-05. Retrieved 2020-03-11.
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