Ryota Wakiya

Ryota Wakiya (脇谷 亮太)

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 5' 7", Weight 130 lb.

• School Nippon Bunri University
• High School Yanagigaura High School

• Born November 4, 1981 in Oita, Oita Japan

BR Register page

Biographical Information

Ryota Wakiya is an infielder for the Yomiuri Giants.

Wakiya was drafted out of the industrial leagues by the Yomiuri Giants in the 5th round of the 2005 NPB draft. In 2006, he hit .270/.302/.335 in 60 games, splitting second base duties with three veterans in the form of Makoto Kosaka, Toshihisa Nishi and Takuya Kimura. In 2007, Wakiya split time with Kimura and Luis A. Gonzalez and also backed up at third base and shortstop. He hit .282/.314/.390 with 8 steals in 9 tries in 91 games that season.

In 2008, the left-handed hitter posted a batting line of .208/.252/.308 in 56 games, struggling as Kimura's back-up. He had a key hit in Game Five of the 2008 Japan Series, a tie-breaking two-run triple off of Hideaki Wakui in the 7th inning.

Sources

• Japanesebaseball.com
• Japan Baseball Daily