Akiyoshi Katsuno

Akiyoshi Katsuno (勝野 昌慶)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 196 lb.

• High School Toki Commerce High School

• Born June 12, 1997 in Kani, Gifu Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Akiyoshi Katsuno has pitched for the Japanese national team.

Katsuno played for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in the industrial leagues after high school. In the 2016 U-23 Baseball World Cup, he was 1-0 with four shutout innings as Japan won. He played in the 2017 Asia Winter League.

He pitched for Japan in the 2018 Asian Games. He closed out a 17-2 rout of China and got credit for the mercy rule win; relieving Takumi Takahashi in the 5th, he gave up a single to Yunqi Song but whiffed Jin Yang and got Jinjun Luo to ground into a double play. In a 5-1 loss to South Korea, he replaced Takahashi in the 9th and plunked Byung-ho Park. Chi-hong An flew out and he got Hyun-soo Kim swinging but he then hit Eui-ji Yang and Hae-min Park singled to load the bases. Isamu Usui relieved to escape the jam. He also got to face South Korea in the Gold Medal Game, relieving Usui in the 8th with a 3-0 deficit. This time, he went 1-2-3, whiffing Ah-seop Son then retiring former major leaguer Jae-gyun Hwang and Jung-hoo Lee. Katsutoshi Satake took over in the 9th as Japan settled for Silver. He was 5-1 for Mitsubishi that year to lead the industrial leagues in wins. The Chunichi Dragons took him in the 3rd round of the 2018 NPB draft. He also had his first child that year when his wife gave birth to a girl. He started the season in the minor Western League.

His fastball peaks in the mid-90s.