Daisuke Hayakawa

Daisuke Hayakawa (早川 大輔) (Department Head Hayakawa)

• Bats Both, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10", Weight 170 lb.

• School Rikkyo University
• High School Funabashi High School

• Born June 3, 1975 in Itami, Hyogo Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Daisuke Hayakawa is a center fielder noted for his speed and strong outfield arm.

After college, Daisuke played for Honda Giken in the industrial leagues. Hayakawa was picked by the Orix BlueWave in the 5th round of the 2001 NPB draft. He debuted for them in 2002, hitting only .177/.231/.212 in 55 games, backing up Yoshitomo Tani in center field. His first hit was on May 11 against Fumiya Nishiguchi. He was 4 for 12 with two doubles, a walk, 2 steals and 5 runs in 19 games in 2003. His playing time picked up in 2004, when he hit .307/.367/.428 in 68 games and stole 14 bases in 18 tries, leading Orix in steals. He hit his first career homer on August 6 off Kazumi Saitoh.

Hayakawa batted .282/.352/.350 in 2005 for the Orix Buffaloes (former when the BlueWave merged with the Kintetsu Buffaloes), backing up Tani in center field and Arihito Muramatsu in left. Daisuke fell to .196/.260/.304 in 21 games in 2006, though he was 5-for-6 in steals.

Hayakawa was traded to the Chiba Lotte Marines for Toshiya Tsuji, which proved to be a one-sided trade. Hayakawa immediately became a starter and sparkplug, hitting .283/.351/.388 in 2007 with 72 runs, 8 triples and 16 steals (in 24 tries). He made the Pacific League All-Star team and set a record by hitting triples in three consecutive games, August 3 through August 5. He led the PL in triples, was 7th in runs, 9th in stolen bases and tied G.G. Sato for second in times hit by pitch (16, trailing Greg LaRocca).

In 2008, Hayakawa faded to .249/.305/.350 with 18 steals in 26 attempts. He was hit by 13 pitches, tying Craig Brazell for second in the PL behind Naoto Watanabe. He also tied Tsuyoshi Nishioka for 7th in steals.

Source: Japan Baseball Daily by Gary Garland