Ryuki Watarai

Ryuki Watarai (度会 隆輝)

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 182 lbs.

• High School Yokohama High School

• Born October 4, 2002 in Ichikawa, Chiba, Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Ryuki Watarai has played in Nippon Pro Baseball. His father Hirobumi Watarai also played in NPB.

Watarai was drafted by the Chiba Lotte Marines, Yokohama BayStars and Chunichi Dragons in the first round of the 2023 NPB draft, and the BayStars won the lottery for the right to him. Watarai crushed a homer in his debut, and he blasted another homer against Haruki Ohmichi in his second game. He was the first Central League player to hit homers in both of his first two games. However, he then went 0-for-14 and the BayStars demoted him to the NPB Farm Leagues. Watarai returned to the big club in June, and he broke the team record for having a RBI in 6 straight games as a rookie. He was voted into the 2024 NPB All-Star Games, and he went 0-for-1 in Game 1. As the starting right fielder in Game 2, Watarai drove in a run against the Pacific League's Ryosuke Ohtsu in the 4th inning with a grounder, then he hit an infield single against Shota Suzuki in the 6th inning. He then collected a RBI double against Tatsuya Imai in the 8th inning, but his team still lost.