Kōta Ishibashi
| Kōta Ishibashi 石橋康太 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Chunichi Dragons – No. 58 | |
| Catcher | |
| Born: December 7, 2000 Yotsukaidō, Chiba, Japan | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| debut | |
| 7 July, 2019, for the Chunichi Dragons | |
| Career statistics (through 2020 season) | |
| Batting average | .059 |
| Home runs | 0 |
| RBI | 2 |
| Teams | |
| |
Kōta Ishibashi (石橋 康太, Ishibashi Kōta, born December 12, 2000) is a professional Japanese baseball player. He plays catcher for the Chunichi Dragons.
Ishibashi was widely regarded as the top high school aged catcher available at the 2018 NPB Draft.[1]
Early career
[edit]On 25 October 2018, Ishibashi was selected as the 4th draft pick for the Chunichi Dragons at the 2018 NPB Draft and on 21 November signed a provisional contract with a ¥40,000,000 sign-on bonus and a ¥6,000,000 yearly salary.[2]
Professional career
[edit]2019
[edit]On 7 July, Ishibashi made his professional debut as a pinch-hitter for Yuya Yanagi against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows.[3] Ishibashi's debut marked the first time since Yasuhiko Kawai 1952 that a Dragons catcher, fresh out of high school had debuted in their first year[4] and the first time since the draft was introduced.[5] Two days later Ishibashi started against the Hiroshima Carp at Nagoya Dome with fellow teenager Tatsuya Shimizu on the mound.[6]
Playing style
[edit]Ishibashi can long throw up to 115 metres,[7] has a pop-time of 1.9 seconds[8] and can bat for power.[7]
Personal
[edit]Ishibashi considers Tokyo Yakult Swallows former catcher and manager, Atsuya Furuta along with hall of fame inductee Katsuya Nomura as his inspirations having read many of their books on catching.[9]
References
[edit]- ^ Matsunaga, Kinya (2018-10-04). "気になる有力選手と隠し玉候補は？ 西尾×小関×福田ドラフト鼎談" [What are the talented and diamond in the rough player of interest? Nishio, Kozono, Fukuda]. Yahoo! Sports Navi (in Japanese). Retrieved 2019-01-08.
- ^ "４位・石橋、「勝てる捕手」目標" [#4 Ishibashi Aims to be a "winning catcher"]. Chunichi Sports (in Japanese). 2018-11-21. Retrieved 2019-01-08.
- ^ "中日 石橋康太がデビュー" [Chunichi's Kota Ishibashi debuts]. Baseball Online (in Japanese). 2019-07-07. Retrieved 2020-02-27.
- ^ "【中日】ドラフト４位・石橋が初の１軍昇格へ 開幕マスクの加藤が２軍降格" [[Chunichi] Draft #4 Ishibashi promoted to first team for first time; opening day catcher Kato sent down.]. Sports Hochi (in Japanese). 2019-07-07. Archived from the original on 2019-07-07. Retrieved 2020-02-27.
- ^ "中日"ドラ4"18歳石橋、初昇格即代打で珍デビュー！与田監督「プロ初打席の死球…あまり記憶にない」― スポニチ Sponichi Annex 野球" [Chunichi's #4 draft pick, 18 y/o Ishibashi, pinch-hitting debut directly after promotion! Manager Yoda "Fist BA was a HBP, not much to remember"]. Sponichi (in Japanese). 2019-07-07. Archived from the original on 2019-07-07. Retrieved 2020-02-27.
- ^ "中日「10代バッテリー」で勝負 清水－石橋康太" [Chunichi fights on with a "Teenage battery" Shimizu-Kota Ishibashi]. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 2019-07-09. Archived from the original on 2019-07-09. Retrieved 2020-02-27.
- ^ a b "４位新人・石橋が１軍練習参加へ 正捕手候補を首脳陣徹底チェック" [#4 Rookie Ishibashi participates in 1-gun training. Management checking on full-time catcher options]. Chunichi Sports (in Japanese). 2019-07-07. Archived from the original on 2019-07-07. Retrieved 2020-02-27.
- ^ "中日ドラフト４位の関東第一・石橋に指名あいさつ 球を受けてみたい投手は「松坂さん」" [Chunichi #4 pick, Kanto Daiichi's Ishibashi has selection greeting says he'd like to catch for "Matsuzaka-san"]. Sponichi (in Japanese). 2019-07-07. Archived from the original on 2019-07-07. Retrieved 2020-02-27.
- ^ "４位・石橋、日本一の捕手目指す ノムさん＆古田本でプロの配球術" [#4 Ishibashi, Aims to be Japan series winning catcher; learning techniques of pro catching from Nomu-chan and Furuta's books.]. Chunichi Sports (in Japanese). 2018-11-21. Retrieved 2019-01-08.