Kanichi Matoba

Kanichi Matoba (的場 寛一)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 167 lb.

• School Kyushu Kyoritsu University
• High School Yatomi High School

• Born June 17, 1977 in Amagasaki, Hyogo Japan

BR Register page

Biographical Information

Kanichi Matoba only had 7 hits in NPB after a good amateur career. In college, he won a batting title. In the 1998 Baseball World Cup, he hit .381/.462/.667 with 3 steals for the Japanese national team. He tied for 5th in the Cup in stolen bases that year. A first round pick of the Hanshin Tigers in the 1999 NPB draft, he went 5 for 26 with a double and 2 walks in 11 games in his NPB debut in 2000. He was 2 for 20 in 2001 with two walks and a double and 0 for 5 with 3 strikeouts in 2004 to finish with a career line of .143/.222/.184 in 24 games. He was injured several times and had knee surgery and shoulder problems. Hanshin released him after the 2005 season.

Sources: IBAF website, Japan Baseball Daily by Gary Garland