Katsuki Matayoshi

Katsuki Matayoshi (又吉 克樹, Matayoshi Katsuki, born November 4, 1990) is a professional Japanese baseball player. He plays pitcher for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks.

Katsuki Matayoshi
Matayoshi with the Japan national baseball team in 2017
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks – No. 14
Pitcher
Born: (1990-11-04) November 4, 1990
Urasoe, Okinawa, Japan
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
debut
March 29, 2014, for the Chunichi Dragons
Career statistics
(through 2022 season)
Win-Loss44-29
ERA2.82
Holds157
Saves11
Strikeouts465
Teams
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing  Japan
Asia Professional Baseball Championship
Gold medal – first place 2017 Tokyo Team

Professional career

Kagawa Olive Guyners
Matayoshi with the Kagawa Olive Guyners.

On December 13, 2012, Matayoshi signed with the Kagawa Olive Guyners of the independent league Shikoku Island League Plus.[1]

On June 22, 2013, His shutout win against the Kochi Fighting Dogs caught the attention of the Chunichi Dragons scouts.[2] In 2013 season, he finished the regular season with 24 Games pitched, a 13–4 Win–loss record, a 1.64 ERA, and a 101 strikeouts in 131.1 innings.



Chunichi Dragons

On October 24, 2013, Matayoshi was drafted by the Chunichi Dragons in the 2013 Nippon Professional Baseball draft.[3]

2014–2015 season

On March 29, 2014, Matayoshi debuted in the Central League against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp as a relief pitcher, and recorded Holds. On April 17, he pitched against the Yokohama DeNA BayStars and recorded his first win.[4] In 2014 season, he finished the regular season with 67 Games pitched, a 9–1 Win–loss record, a 2.21 ERA, a 24 Holds, a 2 Saves, and a 104 strikeouts in 81.1 innings.

In 2015 season, Matayoshi finished the regular season with 63 Games pitched, a 6–6 Win–loss record, a 3.36 ERA, a 30 Holds, and a 82 strikeouts in 72.1 innings.

2016–2021 season

In 2016 season, Matayoshi broke the team record of pitching in at least 60 games for three consecutive seasons as a setup man. And he recorded a 62 Games pitched, a 6–6 Win–loss record, a 2.80 ERA, a 16 Holds, and a 55 strikeouts in 54.2 innings.

On April 27, 2017, he scored his first win as a starting pitcher against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows.[5] On July 4, Matayoshi was the first pitcher from an independent league to be named an My navi All-Star Game 2017.[6] In 2017 season, he finished the regular season with 50 Games pitched, a 8–3 Win–loss record, a 2.13 ERA, a 21 Holds, and a 78 strikeouts in 110 innings.

On August 9, 2018, he achieved his 100th career Holds against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp.[7] In 2018 season, he finished the regular season with 40 Games pitched, a 2–5 Win–loss record, a 6.53 ERA, a 9 Holds, and a 28 strikeouts in 41.1 innings.

In 2019 season, Matayoshi finished the regular season with 26 Games pitched, a 3–3 Win–loss record, a 4.06 ERA, a 3 Holds, and a 37 strikeouts in 44.1 innings.

On June 27, 2020, Matayoshi was diagnosed with a left oblique muscle injury and recuperated.[8] He returned to the mound on September 1 after two months of rehabilitation.[9] In 2020 season, he finished the regular season with 26 Games pitched, a 4–0 Win–loss record, a 2.77 ERA, a 7 Holds, and a 18 strikeouts in 26 innings.

On July 16, 2021, Matayoshi was named an All-Star for the second time and pitched in My Navi All-Star Game 2021.[10] In 2021 season, he had a career-high 33 holds in 66 games and recorded a 1.28 ERA, a 8 Saves, and a 41 strikeouts in 63.1 innings.

On November 29, he announced that he would exercise his free agent rights(ja:フリーエージェント (日本プロ野球)).[11]

Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks

On December 14, 2021, the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks announced that they had signed Matayoshi to a four-year contract. His annual salary, including incentives, was estimated at 650 million yen in total for four years.[12]

2022 season–present

On March 26, 2022, Matayoshi made his first start as a pitcher for the Hawks.[13] On April 26, he became the ninth player in NPB history to reach 150 holds against the Saitama Seibu Lions.[14] After that, he contributed to the team as a setup man, but on August 9, he was diagnosed with a broken right leg and spent the rest of the season in rehabilitation.[15] In 2022 season, he finished the regular season with 31 Games pitched, a 3–3 Win–loss record, a 2.10 ERA, a 14 Holds, a one Saves, and a 22 strikeouts in 30 innings.

International career

On February 16, 2015, Matayoshi represented the Japan national baseball team at the GLOBAL BASEBALL MATCH 2015.[16]

On October 12, 2017, he was selected as the Japan national baseball team in the 2017 Asia Professional Baseball Championship.[17]

References
  1. "Shikoku Island League Plus press release 四国アイランドリーグplusドラフト指名選手入団内定" (in Japanese). Shikoku Island League Plus. December 13, 2012. Archived from the original on December 13, 2013. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  2. "Daily Sports baseball news 2013年重大ニュース【前編】". Daily Sports (in Japanese). December 18, 2013. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  3. "Daily Sports baseball news 独立L史上最高ドラ2又吉にかかる期待". Daily Sports (in Japanese). November 8, 2013. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  4. "Nikkan Sports baseball news 59年ぶり大記録　新人3投手同時初勝利". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). April 18, 2014. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  5. "Nikkan Sports baseball news 中日又吉、4年目で先発初勝利 防御率もトップ守る". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). April 27, 2017. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  6. "Daily Sports baseball news 中日・又吉、牧田から学ぶ　独立リーグ出身投手初の球宴". Daily Sports (in Japanese). July 4, 2017. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  7. "Chunichi Sports baseball news 又吉、100ホールド　史上30人目". Chunichi Sports (in Japanese). August 9, 2018. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  8. "Sports Hochi baseball news 【中日】又吉克樹が「左腹斜筋損傷」の診断 26日にはイニング途中で降板". Sports Hochi (in Japanese). June 27, 2020. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  9. "Sports Hochi baseball news 【中日】左脇腹痛完治の又吉克樹が2か月ぶりに1軍復帰「シーズン最後まで1軍にいられるように」". Sports Hochi (in Japanese). September 1, 2020. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  10. "Nippon Professional Baseball (Japanese) マイナビオールスターゲーム2021". NPB.jp (in Japanese). July 26, 2021. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  11. "Nikkan Sports baseball news 中日又吉FA権行使「独立リーグ出身初の宣言したい気持ちずっとあった」". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). November 29, 2021. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  12. "Sports Hochi baseball news 又吉克樹、ソフトバンク入り決定 4年6億5000万円　三笠杉彦GM「決断してくれてうれしい」". Sports Hochi (in Japanese). December 14, 2021. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  13. "Nishinippon Sports baseball news 又吉が志願のデビュー戦で1回を無失点「明日からもチームのために」". Nishinippon Shimbun (in Japanese). March 26, 2022. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  14. "Sports Hochi baseball news 【ソフトバンク】又吉克樹、史上9人目の通算150ホールド　開幕12試合連続無失点で到達language=ja-JP". Sports Hochi. April 26, 2022. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  15. "Daily Sport baseball news 8日に1球降板のソフトバンク・又吉は骨折　競技復帰まで3カ月前後". Daily Sport (in Japanese). July 9, 2022. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  16. "Japan national baseball team news 選手発表 欧州代表戦、侍ジャパン出場選手発表！6選手が小久保体制下で初招集". Japan national baseball team Official site (in Japanese). February 16, 2015. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  17. "Japan national baseball team news (Japanese) 大会出場メンバー25名を発表 3監督が記者会見で意気込みを語る". Japan national baseball team Official site (in Japanese). October 12, 2017. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
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