Shōtarō Kasahara (笠原 祥太郎, Kasahara Shōtarō, born March 17, 1995) is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the Oisix Niigata Albirex of the Eastern League. He has previously played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars and Chunichi Dragons and in the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) for the TSG Hawks.

Shōtarō Kasahara
Kasahara with the Chunichi Dragons
Oisix Niigata Albirex – No. 47
Pitcher
Born: (1995-03-17) March 17, 1995 (age 29)
Niigata, Niigata, Japan
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
Professional debut
NPB: 30 June, 2017, for the Chunichi Dragons
CPBL: 5 April, 2024, for the TSG Hawks
NPB statistics
(through 2023 season)
Winloss11–15
Earned run average4.44
Strikeouts169
CPBL statistics
(through June 8, 2024)
Winloss1–1
Earned run average3.18
Strikeouts13
Teams

Career

edit

Amateur career

edit

Kashara was admitted to Niigata University of Health and Welfare without consideration for his baseball talent and was able to, over time, increase his velocity from throwing in the mid 130s (km/h) to throwing in the high 140s (km/h).In the 2016 university fall league, he achieved a 0.72 ERA, claimed the most wins title and was chosen in the Best 9.[1]

Chunichi Dragons

edit

Kasahara was the 4th pick for the Chunichi Dragons at the 2016 Nippon Professional Baseball draft.[1][2]

Yokohama DeNA Baystars

edit

On 9 December 2022, Kasahara was traded for Seiya Hosokawa in the 2022 Current Player Draft.[3] He made only 2 starts for Yokohama in 2023, posting an 0–2 record and 4.50 ERA with 5 strikeouts in 6.0 innings of work.

TSG Hawks

edit

On November 26, 2023, Kasahara signed with the TSG Hawks of the Chinese Professional Baseball League.[4] In three starts for the Hawks, he compiled a 3.18 ERA with 13 strikeouts across 17 innings pitched. Kasahara was released by the Hawks on June 8, 2024.[5]

International career

edit

On October 10, 2018, he was selected Japan national baseball team at the 2018 MLB Japan All-Star Series.[6]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b "中日4位、新潟医療福祉大・笠原 県内大学から初" [Chunichi's #4 pick, Niigata University of Health and Welfare's Kasahara a first from a Niigata university]. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 21 October 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  2. ^ "4位・笠原、雪国の快速左腕 心は熱く" 4位・笠原、雪国の快速左腕 心は熱く [#4 Kasahara, the speedy lefty from snow country, heart is hot]. Chunichi Sports (in Japanese). Chunichi Shimbun. 1 January 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  3. ^ INC, SANKEI DIGITAL (2022-12-09). "中日・笠原祥太郎、DeNAに移籍「心機一転頑張る」 中日はDeNAから細川を獲得/現役ドラフト" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2022-12-09.
  4. ^ "TSG Hawks Sign Shōtarō Kasahara". cpblstats.com. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  5. ^ "TSG Hawks Release Shōtarō Kasahara". cpblstats.com. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  6. ^ "「2018日米野球」に出場する侍ジャパントップチーム選手全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). October 10, 2018. Retrieved October 14, 2018.