Katsuhito Osaka

Katsuhito Osaka (小坂 勝仁)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10", Weight 180 lb.

• School Tohoku Fukushi University
• High School Tokai University Osaka Gyosei High School

• Born June 14, 1968 in Osaka, Osaka Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Katsuhito Osaka pitched in Nippon Pro Baseball for six seasons.

Osaka was on the Japanese national team that won the Silver Medal in the 1990 Goodwill Games. He helped Tohoku Fukushi make the finals of the All-Japan University Baseball Championship Series that year as well. The Yakult Swallows took him in the second round of the 1990 NPB draft, after Yoichi Okabayashi.

In 1991, he had a 1.89 ERA in ten games for Yakult. He had a save and a 3.60 ERA in 1992 and was not used in the 1992 Japan Series, which they lost. In 1993, he was 1-1 with a 3.99 ERA. He did not appear in the 1993 Japan Series, which they won. Osaka was 1-1 with a 4.72 ERA in 1994. He appeared in only 8 games in 1995, with a 7.30 ERA. He did lead the minor Eastern League with nine wins that year.

Yakult traded him with Yukio Arai to the Kintetsu Buffaloes for Fuminobu Kinoshita and cash. He allowed one hit in 2/3 of an inning in 1996. He finished his career 2-2 with a save and a 3.90 ERA in 80 games in NPB. He was 1 for 9 at the plate. He threw a fastball (89 mph), forkball and shuuto.

After his playing career, he became an agent for players, including Shigetoshi Hasegawa.