Masaaki Daito

Masaaki Daito (大塔 正明)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 185 lb.

• School Kinki University
• High School Kindai University High School

• Born April 5, 1973 in Katano, Osaka Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Masaaki Daito pitched for the Japanese national team and in Nippon Pro Baseball.

He won one Best Pitcher award in college and pitched for Japan's college All-Stars against the US All-Stars. In the 1994 Baseball World Cup, he allowed five runs (all unearned) in 7 1/3 IP, striking out 8 over three appearances for the Bronze Medal winners. He finished a combined no-hitter against Sweden, relieving Junichi Kawahara and plunking Ove Johansson then retiring Kent Sterner, Magnus Dahlberg and Roger Sund, two of three via strikeout. He won Gold in the 1994 Asian Games, the first time baseball was a medal event in an Asian Games.

The Chunichi Dragons took him in the 5th round of the 1995 NPB draft. He allowed five runs (four earned) in one inning as a rookie in 1996. He was 2-1 with a 3.57 ERA in 43 games as a solid reliever for the 1997 Dragons, his fastball peaking at 93 mph. He had a 1-0, 2.95 record in 21 games in 1998 then fell to 0-1, 4.97 in six games in 1999 though he doubled for his only hit in six career at-bats. Overall, he was 3-2 with a 3.97 ERA in 71 NPB games (one start). In 93 IP, he had allowed 102 hits and 38 walks while striking out 70. He later worked in electronic installation.