Kazutaka Nishiyama

Kazutaka Nishiyama (西山 一宇)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 193 lb.

• High School Kochi High School

• Born August 28, 1970 in Kochi, Kochi Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Kazutaka Nishiyama was an Olympic Bronze Medalist who pitched over 200 games in Nippon Pro Baseball.

Nishiyama threw a 16-inning no-hitter in high school; he was taken by the Lotte Orions in the 8th round of the 1988 NPB draft out of high school but did not sign. He played for NTT Shigoku in the industrial leagues and also was regularly with the Japanese national team over the next few years. In the 1990 Asian Games, he won Bronze with Japan. He led Japan with four appearances in the 1991 Intercontinental Cup, got both their saves, went 1-0 with no runs in 7 1/3 IP and fanned 11. He led the event in saves and Japan won the Silver Medal. In the 1991 Asian Championship, he won Gold with Japan as they advanced to the 1992 Olympics. He only pitched briefly in Barcelona, though, making one appearance. He relieved Kento Sugiyama in the 6th with a 13-0 lead over the Dominican national team. He walked Juan Sanchez but faced the minimum three batters - it is possible Teofilo Peña hit into a double play (he hit into one that day) and Jose Veras was then retired. Masanori Sugiura replaced him in the 7th. He hurt his elbow in the Olympics, which is presumably why he did not pitch again there.

The Yomiuri Giants chose him in the 3rd round of the 1992 NPB draft, the same year they took Hideki Matsui and Tetsuhiro Monna. He was sidelined by injuries his first few years, allowing two runs in three innings in 1993 and not pitching for Yomiuri's big club in 1994. In 1995, he excelled at 5-1, 0.55 with 7 saves and a 0.85 WHIP in 20 games. He was 6th in the Central League in saves. Things unraveled somewhat in 1996 (6-5, Sv, 4.40 ERA) as he walked 35 in 61 1/3 innings. He was on in the 1996 Japan Series with 4 2/3 shutout innings but Yomiuri fell to the Orix BlueWave.

In 1997, his numbers fell further - 2-3, 4.96. He rebounded in 1998, going 4-3 with four saves and a 2.48 ERA while walking only 20 in 80 innings. He led Yomiuri's staff with 49 appearances. He slipped back in 1999 (3-4, 5.61 in 30 G). His playing time slipped to 14 games in 2000 (2-2, 4.30). He was back up to 19 games in 2001 and went 2-0 but had a 6.00 ERA and allowed 55 hits in 36 innings. He switched to a sidearm delivery in 2002 but that did not pan out (14 H, 8 R in 7 1/3 IP). He won a Middle Reliever of the Year Award in the minor Eastern League, though. Retiring as a player, he became an advance scout for Yomiuri.

In NPB, he had gone 24-18 with 12 saves and a 4.11 ERA in 207 games (16 starts). He allowed 131 walks and 387 hits in 354 1/3 IP, striking out 258.