Koyo Aoyagi

Koyo Aoyagi (青柳 晃洋)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 174 lb.

• School Teikyo University
• High School Kawasaki Kogyo High School

• Born December 11, 1993 in Yokohama, Kanagawa Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Koyo Aoyagi has made multiple All-Star teams. He throws both sidearm and submarine.

Aoyagi was the 5th-round pick of the Hanshin Tigers in the 2015 NPB draft. He was 4-5 with a 3.29 ERA for Hanshin in 2016, with only 41 hits in 68 1/3 IP but walking 40. He was the third player in Nippon Pro Baseball history to win his debut start in an interleague game, following Yu Darvish and Kenji Otonari. Oddly, his first NPB hit was a bunt, off Kazuto Taguchi. He was 2-0 with a save and a 1.69 ERA in the Asia Winter League, following Yuta Iwasada as the second straight Hanshin pitcher to be named AWL Pitcher of the Year.

He split 2017 between the big club (4-4, 3.22 in 12 G) and the farm (3-6, 2.93). In 2018, he only pitched four games for the big team (1-1, 3.32) but starred in the minors (8-2, 2.73, 70 K in 69 1/3 IP). He tied for the Western League lead in wins. He made his first Central League All-Star team the next year, working innings 5 and 6 of the 2019 NPB All-Star Game 2 (in between Yuya Yanagi and Hiroki Tokoda) and allowing one hit in two shutout innings as the CL beat the Pacific League. He finished the season at 9-9, 3.14. He tied Yudai Ono for 8th in the CL in wins, tied Daichi Osera and Haruto Takahashi for 3rd in losses and was 6th in ERA (between Yuki Nishi and Osera).

The right-hander fell to 7-9, 3.36 in 2020. He led the CL in losses. Things were much better to begin 2021 as he was 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA after 14 games; he was monthly MVP in June (4 W, 1.20). In 2021 NPB All-Star Game 2, he relieved Suguru Iwazaki in the 6th with a 3-1 deficit. He retired Takashi Ogino and Hiroaki Samauchi, walked Tomoya Mori and got Hotaka Yamakawa on a grounder. He was succeeded by Yasuaki Yamasaki.

He is on Japan's team for the Tokyo Olympics. He made two appearances for the Gold Medal winners. In the opener, he relieved Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the 7th of a scoreless game with the Dominican Republic. He allowed a single to Juan Francisco, struck out Johan Mieses, gave up another single (to Erick Mejia), retired Jeison Guzmán then gave up a two-run double to Charlie Valerio. He walked Gustavo Núñez and Kaima Taira came in to escape further damage. He got a no-decision when Japan rallied. His other game was also rough; succeeding Suguru Iwazaki in the 5th with a 3-3 tie against Team USA, he allowed hits to Eddy Alvarez and Tyler Austin then a three-run dinger for Triston Casas. Todd Frazier singled before Aoyagi got his first out, Eric Filia. Mark Kolozsvary singled then Jack López hit into a double play. Kodai Senga took over; Japan again rallied to save him from taking a loss. His 27.00 ERA was third-highest in the Olympics, after Oliver Pérez and Alex Katz.