Michinao Yamamura

Michinao Yamamura (山村 路直)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 207 lb.
• School Kyushu Kyoritsu University
• High School Matsuyama Chuo High School
• Born December 5, 1978 in Iyo-gun, Ehime Japan

BR Register page

Biographical Information

Michinao Yamamura played for the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks from 2005 to 2007 and for the Sultanes de Monterrey in 2009. In 2010, he pitched for the Ehime Mandarin Pirates of the Shikoku-Kyushu Island League.

He played for the Japanese national team in the 1998 Baseball World Cup, going 1-1 with a save and a 3.24 ERA in a team-high five games. He tied for fifth in the event in appearances. He saved Koji Uehara's 4-win over the Dominican national team. He took the loss to South Korea and Chul-min Kang in the 10th inning of the quarterfinals but rebounded to allow one run over the final 4 1/3 IP to beat Phil Dale and Australia in the next game. He then won a Silver Medal with Japan in the 1998 Asian Games. After a 20-4 record in college, the Hawks took him in the first round of the 2000 NPB draft. Injuries plagued him and he spent the next four years in ni-gun. In both 2005 and 2006, he made one relief appearance, posting a 0.00 ERA in those two games. In 2007, he went 2-2 with a 3.81 ERA in 23 relief appearances. Overall, he went 2-2 with a 3.58 ERA in 25 Nippon Pro games. With Monterrey in 2009, he went 0-3 with an 8.22 ERA in nine games (two starts).

He also played with the San Diego Surf Dawgs at one point.