Kazutoshi Higuchi

Kazutoshi Higuchi (樋口 一紀)

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 5' 6", Weight 147 lb.

• High School Yanagawa High School

• Born September 9, 1967 in Kurume, Fukuoka Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Kazutoshi Higuchi played for Sumitomo Kinzoku in the industrial leagues after high school. He was on the Japanese national team that tied for first in the 1989 Asian Championship and 1989 Intercontinental Cup. He was picked by the Chiba Lotte Marines in the 5th round in 1991 NPB draft. He led the minor Eastern League in steals in 1993 and made his debut with the big club that year, going 1 for 8. He hit .343/.413/.403 in 37 games as a third-string second baseman in 1994. He fell to .202/.278/.211 in a career-high 134 plate appearances and 62 games in 1995 as Chiba Lotte's backup second baseman.

The Marines traded Higuchi with Yukinaga Maeda and Sadaharu Hiranuma to the Chunichi Dragons for Toru Nimura, Tadaharu Sakai and Yasushi Yamamoto. He was 5 for 29 with six walks in 35 games in 1996 and hit .228/.345/.307 in 55 games in 1997, serving as Chunichi's backup shortstop. He returned to Chiba Lotte in 1998, going 1 for 6 with a walk. He was in the minors with the Hanshin Tigers in 1999 then retired with a career batting line of .234/.327/.277. The minor league stolen base leader was just 9-for-25 in steal attempts in Nippon Pro Baseball.

Source: Japanbaseballdaily.com