Shunpeita Yamashita

Shunpeita Yamashita (山下 舜平大)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 205 lbs.

• High School Fukuoka University Ohori High School

• Born July 16, 2002 in Fukuoka, Fukuoka, Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Shunpeita Yamashita pitched in Nippon Pro Baseball.

Yamashita was drafted by the Orix Buffaloes in the first round of the 2020 NPB draft, but he spent his first two seasons in the NPB Farm Leagues. He was named the opening day starter in 2023, and became the first rookie pitcher to debut in the opening game after spending the prior season exclusively in the minors. He was named the starter for the Pacific League in 2023 NPB All-Star Game 2, and he pitched 2 shutout innings, with a strikeout against Shugo Maki and got the win over Aren Kuri and the Central League; Naoyuki Uwasawa took over for him. He ended up 9-3 with a 1.61 ERA, but missed the 2023 Nippon Series due to a back injury. He tied for 10th in the PL in wins and would have been second to Yoshinobu Yamamoto in ERA had he qualified (he was 48 IP shy).

Sources

• Wiki Japan
• NPB.com Bio
• 2023 NPB All-Star Game 2