Shigetoshi Yamakita

Shigetoshi Yamakita (山北 茂利)

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 3", Weight 179 lb.

• High School Chukyo High School

• Born January 6, 1978 in Tajimi, Gifu Japan

BR Register page

Biographical Information

Shigetoshi Yamakita pitched in Nippon Pro Baseball and for the Japanese national team.

Yamakita was drafted by the Chunichi Dragons in the third round of the 1999 NPB draft. He spent the first two seasons of his career in the NPB Farm Leagues, only pitching 3 1/3 innings and allowed 9 runs with the big club, in 2001. Yamakita broke out in 2002, as he recorded a 4.13 ERA in 57 appearances. He then made it onto Japan's roster for the 2002 Intercontinental Cup, going 0-1 with a 2.57 ERA. He lost to Orelvis Avila and Cuba. The Gifu native improved to a 3.25 ERA in 57 appearances in 2003 (5th in the Central League in games pitched, between Hitoki Iwase and fellow LOOGY Makoto Yoshino), but he then slumped to a 8.44 ERA in 7 games in 2004 due to a injury. The Dragons then traded him to the Chiba Lotte Marines for Masaumi Shimizu in 2004.

Yamakita still stayed in the ni-gun in 2005, then the Marines traded him to the Yokohama BayStars for Ryotaro Doi and Ryusuke Minami in 2006. Since the BayStars lacked left-handed relievers, Yamakita had 28 appearances in 2006, but his ERA was 4.21. He slumped toa 4.72 ERA in 18 appearances in 2007, then he allowed 26 runs in just 21 2/3 innings in 2008. He spent the whole 2009 season in the ni-gun, then announced his retirement after that season.

Overall, Yamakita was 5-6 with a 5.66 ERA and pitched 193 1/3 innings in 8 seasons in NPB.

Sources

• NPB site
• Wiki Japan
• Defunct IBAF site