Hiroki Tokoda

Hiroki Tokoda (床田 寛樹)

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 5' 11", Weight 167 lbs.

• School Chubu Gakuin University
• High School Minoh Gakuen High School

• Born March 1, 1995 in Amagasaki, Hyogo Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Hiroki Tokoda has played in Nippon Pro Baseball.

Tokoda was drafted by the Hiroshima Carp in the third round of the 2016 NPB draft, and he spent his first two seasons mainly in the NPB Farm Leagues, only pitching 3 games combined with the big club. He joined the rotation in 2019, and had a 7-6 record with a 2.96 ERA. Tokoda was selected into the 2019 NPB All-Star Game as a rookie, and he pitched a shutout inning in Game 2. He got 1 votes for the 2019 Central League Rookie of the Year Award, finishing third behind Munetaka Murakami's 168 votes and Koji Chikamoto's 139.

The Amagasaki native struggled in 2020 as his ERA rose to 4.93, and he bounced back soon in 2021. Tokoda was 5-4 with a 3.19 ERA in 2021, then improved to 8-6 with a 2.84 ERA in 2022. He was the starter of 2022 NPB All-Star Game 2, but Kotaro Kiyomiya hit a leadoff single and Yuki Yanagita added another single after he retired Yurisbel Gracial. Tokoda forced Brandon Laird to ground into a double play to escape the jam, but he then gave up an infield single to Hiroaki Shimauchi in the next inning. Taisei Makihara added a single, and Kou Matsukawa's single drove in the Pacific League's first run. Tokoda retired Hiroto Kobukata to complete his work, and ended up with a no-decision; Yudai Ono succeeded him.

The southpaw had his career year so far in 2023. He was 11-7 with a 2.19 ERA, ranked 3rd in ERA (.44 behind Shoki Murakami), 4th in wins (5 behind Katsuki Azuma) and 2nd in shutouts (1 behind Aren Kuri). He pitched 5 1/3 innings with 2 runs allowed in the first stage of the 2023 CLCS against the Yokohama BayStars, and ended up with a no-decision. Yokoda then dueled with Hanshin's Kotaro Otake in the second stage, but he allowed 3 runs in 6 innings, and got the loss. The Carp were swept by the Tigers, and his postseason ended.

Tokoda's repertoire included a fastball (peak 94.4 mph), slider and palmball.