Takashi Yoshiura

Takashi Yoshiura (吉浦 貴志)

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10", Weight 163 lb.

• High School Kumamoto Technical High School

• Born September 12, 1979 in Kumamoto Prefecture Japan

Biographical Information

Takashi Yoshiura has been a top amateur player in Japan for a decade. He signed with Nissan Motor Company out of high school and was still playing with them as of 2007. He made Best Nines in 2002, 2003 and 2006 in industrial league play.

Since 2002, Yoshiura has played regularly for the Japanese national team. He appeared in the 2002 Asian Games. In the 2002 Intercontinental Cup, Yoshiura hit .321/.406/.464 as Japan's starting right fielder.

Yoshiura had one of his top performances in the 2003 Baseball World Cup, hitting .387/.513/.871 with 5 homers, 7 walks, 7 runs and 17 RBI in 10 games while alternating between right and left. He led the tourney in RBI and tied Audes de Leon for the most home runs. He also stole 3 bases, putting him third behind Rolando Avila and Eduardo Paret. He joined Rubén Rivera and Frederich Cepeda on the All-Tournament outfield. He was named Baseball World Cup MVP, beating out numerous major leaguers and Cuban stars. He was the first Japanese player to be so honored.

In the 2004 Haarlem Baseball Week, he went 4 for 14 with 9 walks, 2 triples and 6 runs in 5 games. He finished 4th in the event in slugging, third in OBP (trailing Davide Dallospedale and Yasser Gomez), led in triples, tied Raily Legito for the most walks and was second to Ralph Milliard in runs scored.

Yoshiura played for Japan in the 2006 Asian Games. In the 2007 Baseball World Cup, he only hit .194/.333/.361 but still had 7 runs and 7 RBI in 10 games. He had two outfield assists. He was 4 for 4 with a walk and was a triple shy of a cycle in a rout of Mexico. He produced three of Japan's 5 runs in their Bronze Medal game win over the Dutch national team.

Sources

• IBAF
• Japanese Wikipedia page
• 2004 Haarlem Baseball Week