Hiromasa Fujita

Hiromasa Fujita (藤田 浩雅)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 9", Weight 180 lb.

• High School Gotemba Nishi High School

• Born October 3, 1961 in Susuno, Shizuoka Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Hiromasa Fujita was a catcher for 12 years in Nippon Pro Baseball.

Fujita played for Kanto Motors Kogyo in Japan's industrial leagues out of high school. He was a second-round draft pick of the Hankyu Braves in 1982 NPB draft and was 2 for 7 with a walk in 1983.

Hiromasa's best season was easily his first - in 98 games in 1984, he hit .287/.343/.557 with 22 home runs and 69 RBI in 289 AB. He was named the Pacific League Rookie of the Year, NPB Gold Glove winner at catcher and Best Nine pick at catcher. He then batted .292/.370/.417 in the 1984 Japan Series.

At age 23 in 1985, the Shizuoka native slumped to .217/.272/.349 with 11 homers in 350 AB. He batted .253/.293/.425 with 18 home runs in 1986. A highlight came in June when he hit the 5th pinch-hit come-from-behind grand slam in NPB annals.

Fujita continued to perform poorly with decreasing playing time in the next years - .235/.257/.365 in 104 games in 1987, .175/.231/.284 in 83 in 1988 and .200/.226/.267 in 96 plate appearances over 58 games in 1989.

In 1990, the former rookie sensation had a slight rebound to .248/.310/.395 in 176 plate appearances and 65 games, but he was just 9 for 43 with 2 walks and 3 doubles in 1991.

Fujita moved on to the Yomiuri Giants and was 8 for 41 with 3 walks and a double in 1992, 1 for 8 with a double in 1993 and 2 for 7 with a double, walk and homer (his first in 4 years) in 1994.

After two more years strictly in the minors, Fujita retired with a career batting line of .235/.283/.390 in 725 games. He had hit 72 home runs in 1,865 AB.

Source: Japan Baseball Daily by Gary Garland