Kyohei Taniki

Kyohei Taniki (谷木 恭平)

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 5' 9", Weight 165 lb.

• School Rikkyo University
• High School Hokkai High School

• Born November 12, 1945 in Sapporo, Hokkaido Japan

BR Register page

Biographical Information

Kyohei Taniki was a center fielder for the Chunichi Dragons for eight years. He wore number 9.

Taniki was part of the first Hokkaido Prefecture team to go to the final of a spring Koshien. He led the Tokyo Big Six University League in average in the fall of 1965. After college, he played in the industrial leagues. The Dragons drafted him in the third round in the 1972 NPB draft. He made his debut with the big club in 1973, going 9 for 69 with a homer and 7 walks; he stole 5 bases in 7 tries and scored 10 runs, apparently pinch-running at times. He hit .274/.337/.389 in a semi-regular role in 1974. In the 1974 Japan Series, he was 1 for 8 with two walks and two runs as Chunichi lost to the Lotte Orions.

Kyohei batted .254/.341/.395 as a backup in 1975. In a career-high 341 plate appearances in 1976, he produced at a .285/.322/.367 rate. He fell to .235/.331/.366 in a career-high 117 games (175 PA) in 1977. In 1978, he had his best OPS (.280/.382/.403) and stole 10 bases in 13 tries. He hit only .235/.309/.321 with 9 swipes in 12 attempts in 1979. Taniki ended his career as a player in 1980 at .260/.317/.344 with no steals in three tries.

Overall, he batted .258/.330/.361 in 737 games in Nippon Pro Baseball. He stole 48 bases but was caught on 32 occasions.

After his playing career ended, Taniki worked as a scout and coach. He ran a restaurant after wrapping up his involvement in NPB.

Source: Japan Baseball Daily