Igor Kimura

Igor Kimura

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 207 lb.

• Born April 14, 1999 in Maringá, Paraná Brazil

BR Register page

Biographical Information

Igor Kimura has pitched in the minors and for the Brazilian national team.

Kimura was 1-2 with a 6.57 ERA in the 2014 U-15 Baseball World Cup, fanning 14 in 12 2/3 IP and also hitting .333/.429/.500. He tied for 5th in the event in losses and tied for 9th in strikeouts. The teenager got the start for Brazil in the 2018 South American Championship finale against Argentina but was outdueled by Diego Echeverría. For the event, he worked 8 innings and allowed 9 hits, 7 walks and 5 runs (3 earned) while striking out 13. He tied Leonardo Oliveira for 5th in IP and was second in strikeouts, one behind Echeverría. He wasn't the only Brazilian Kimura in the top 5 in K as Erick Kimura tied for 5th with 7.

He was then signed by Tampa Bay Rays scout Tiago Magalhães. He allowed one hit, one walk and no runs in seven innings for the 2018 DSL Rays 2, striking out 9 of 22 batters and saving two of his four games for a superb pro debut. The next year, he was 3-2 with a 3.29 ERA for the same club. He was on Brazil's roster for the 2020 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers before that was one of the first baseball events canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which then wiped out the minor league season as well. He was 2-0 with two saves and a 5.09 ERA for the '21 DSL Rays 2. Not having advanced beyond the Dominican Summer League by age 22, the Rays let him go. He had been 5-2 with 4 saves and a 3.40 ERA in 30 games in the minors.

Igor was with Brazil for the 2022 South American Championship. In his only game, he started against Ecuador and carried a 3-0 lead over Yeremi Tamayo into the bottom of the third. Things unraveled after he began the third with a strikeout, as Alfonso Jalil singled, Ledy Alvarez walked, Gustavo Landin singled in a run, Samuel Felman walked and Danyells García singled to make it 3-2. Marcelo Arai relieved and allowed a two-run single to put Ecuador ahead. Brazil bailed Kimura out by rallying to win. Silvio Figueiredo was the only pitcher on the champs to have a higher ERA; Brazil won a spot in the 2023 Pan American Games with their title.

In the 2022 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers, he had Brazil's highest ERA at 18.00, double Edilson Batista, the next hurler. He relieved Oscar Nakaoshi in the 8th with a 12-3 lead over New Zealand in his lone outing. He allowed a single to Max Brown then doubles to Jason Matthews and Chayton Krauss to make it 12-5. Nikau Pouaka-Grego took him deep to cut the gap to five. He then bounced back to strike out Sam Kennelly and retire Kris Richards and Andrew Marck. In the 9th, he allowed a Connar O'Gorman single and struck out Daniel Lamb-Hunt and Brown. Duncan Izaaks walked but Kimura retired Krauss to end it.