Kenjiro Sugiura

Kenjiro Sugiura (杉浦 健二郎)

• Bats Both, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 176 lb.

• School Chuo University
• High School Asamizodai Senior High School

• Born April 10, 1998 in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Japan (per Japanese Wikipedia; BR register says Tokyo)

BR Register page

Biographical Information

Kenjiro Sugiura has pitched in Japan and France and for the French national team.

Following an injury, he switched from baseball to badminton in high school then played softball. After college, he decided to try out for baseball again. With his fastball timed at 93 mph, he won a contract with the Baseball Challenge League's Kanagawa Future Dreams. He had a 7.24 ERA in 12 games in 2020 and 6.52 in 12 outings the next year, not getting a decision either season. As his mother was from France, he decided to try his hand playing in France.

Signing with the Montpellier Barracudas, he saved Mathis Nayral's win over Olimpija Karlovac in the 2022 Confederation Cup. He struck out 7 in 5 2/3 IP over three outings on the hill. He also played second, short and all three outfield spots in the Cup, hitting .267/.450/.333 with four walks in five games, fielding .938. He tied for 5th in the Cup in walks, tied for 4th in Ks and tied for the most games pitched (with Ismael Pontiac, Kenny Vandenbranden, Jak Simonsen and Mario Schadler. In the French Division I, he hit .273/.375/.345 with 12 runs in 15 games, going 1-2 with two saves and a 2.70 ERA and fielding .974. He allowed only 8 hits in 16 2/3 IP but walked 12. He allowed the lowest average in the league (.143, .039 ahead of #2 Quentin Moulin) and tied for second in saves (behind Alexis Paredes).

Sugiura made France's squad for the 2022 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers. He pitched in one game, the ninth of ten hurlers in their opening loss to Great Britain. Relieving Gédéon Coste in the top of the 8th with a 12-4 deficit, two outs and a runner on second, he threw a wild pitch and allowed a RBI single to Anfernee Seymour. He walked Harry Ford and Matt Koperniak. Yoimer Camacho succeeded him and let one of the runners score to give him an infinite ERA.