Kazuo Uzuki

Kazuo Uzuki

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 165 lb.
• Born April 14, 1991 in Sarufutsu, Hokkaido Japan

Biographical Information

Kazuo Uzuki is a fictional pitcher featured in the 2008 Topps baseball card set, released as an April Fools' Day joke (Kazuo Uzuki means "the son of April"). The description on the back of his baseball card read as such:

"Already being called 'The Uzi' by some for his 104 MPH fastball, Kaz will be the first Japan-based high-schooler to jump straight to professional baseball in America when he graduates in 2009. 'He is, hands down, the best pitching prospect I've seen in 30 years,' said one MLB scout. And one unnamed American League GM said, 'The contract this kid is going to get will be astronomical.' At age fourteen, he was the youngest player invited to the WBC squad trials and — although he was cut on the last day — he made a lasting impression with his 17 Ks in 7 innings of work during intrasquad matches."

So convincing was that write-up and the card in general that it originally sold for $10-15 on eBay. The card was a fairly rare insert, being found in only one of every 72 packs.

Further Reading

• Snopes article on Uzuki
• Remember that time Topps did a long-play April Fools' Joke with Kazuo Uzuki?