Kei Hosoya

Kei Hosoya (細谷 圭)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 185 lb.
• High School Ota Shiritsu High School

• Born January 17, 1988 in Isesaki, Gunma Japan

BR Register page

Biographical Information

Infielder Kei Hosoya played for the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Pro Baseball's Pacific League from 2008 to 2020. However, most of his career came in the minor league Eastern League, as only 420 of his career 1,124 games were at the top level. At the top level, his main positions were first base and third base.

Hosoya was drafted by the Marines in the 4th round of 2005 NPB draft, but he spent the first three year of his career in the ni-gun .In his first season with the big club in 2008, he hit only .167 in 20 games in the Pacific League, then was only in the minor leagues in 2009. However, he hit .305 in 54 games to earn another shot the following season. Generally, he was a strong hitter at the lower level, but struggled when promoted: he batted just .121 in 22 games in 2011 and .130 in 202 games in 2012. He played 84 games at the top level in 2013, but hit just .216. He finally earned a regular spot in 2016, at the age of 28, when he played 116 games in the Pacific League and hit .275 in what was easily his best season. He was back to playing sparingly the next season, with just 41 games, then hit .182 in 21 games in 2018 and .158 in 29 games in 2019. In his final season in 2020, he made only one token appearance in the Pacific League, without a plate appearance, while appearing in 55 games (and batting .298) in the Eastern League. He retired following that season, then became a coach in Japan's independent leagues.

Overall, his batting average was .228 at the top level, but .273 overall as he was much more successful in the Eastern League. Similarly, 90 of 100 career home runs came in minor league play.