Hiroto Saiki

Hiroto Saiki (才木 浩人)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 174 lbs.

• High School Suma Shofu High School

• Born November 7, 1998 in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Hiroto Saiki has pitched in Nippon Pro Baseball.

Saiki was drafted by the Hanshin Tigers in the third round of the 2016 NPB draft, and he mainly stayed in the NPB Farm Leagues in his first season, only pitching 2 games with the top team. He joined the rotation in 2018, and he went 6-10 with a 4.61 ERA. He tied Takumi Akiyama and Yuta Iwasada for 3rd in the Central League in losses. Saiki suffered from a right elbow injury in 2019, so he only pitched 3 games with the big club. He then underwent Tommy John surgery, and he missed the next two seasons.

He came back in 2022, and he went 4-1 with a 1.53 ERA. He then had a 8-5 record with a 1.82 ERA in 19 starts in 2023, and he became just the 4th pitcher to have a 0.00 ERA in the interleague play. In the 2023 Nippon Series Game 4, Saiki only allowed a run in 5 innings, and he ended up with a no-decision. The Tigers beat the Orix Buffaloes in 7 games, and he won his first title.

The Kobe native was named the starter of 2024 NPB All-Star Game 1, and he pitched 2 innings with 4 strikeouts (against Shun Mizutani (twice), Kensuke Kondoh and Yuya Gunji) despite allowing 3 hits in the first inning. He only allowed a run due to Hiromi Oka's solo shot, and he got the win over the Pacific League's Sachiya Yamasaki.

Saiki's repertoire features a fastball that peaks at 97.5 mph, a forkball, curveball and a slider.