Takumu Nakano

Takumu Nakano (中野 拓夢)

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 5' 7", Weight 152 lb.

• School Tohoku Fukushi University
• High School Nihon University Yamagata Senior High School

• Born June 28, 1996 in Tendo, Yamagata Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Takumu Nakano has played in Nippon Pro Baseball and for the Japanese national team.

Nakano was drafted by the Hanshin Tigers in the 6th round of the 2020 NPB draft. He debuted on March 26, 2021, and collected his first career hit off Hiroki Kondo. Replacing Hayato Sakamoto late in 2021 NPB All-Star Game 1, he drew a 9th-inning bases-loaded walk from Naoya Masuda to force in Zelous Wheeler with the winner for the Central League. In Game 2, he was retired by Wataru Matsumoto and Yuki Tsumori then replaced by Sakamoto. He got 127 hits in his rookie season, and became the first rookie shortstop in the Tigers' history to collected 100 hits since Yoshio Yoshida did it in 1952. He also led the league with 30 stolen bases (only caught twice; he was six swipes ahead of runner-up Koji Chikamoto) and 20 sacrifice hits, became the first rookie shortstop in NPB history to led the league in stolen bases. He also tied the record held by Tetsuto Yamada for highest stolen-base percentage by a league leader in stolen bases. He was 4th in voting for the 2021 CL Rookie of the Year behind Ryoji Kuribayashi, Shugo Maki and Yasunobu Okugawa.

He was again an All-Star in 2022. In Game 1, he was retired by Taisuke Yamaoka and struck out against Fumiya Ono then was replaced by Hideki Nagaoka at short. In Game 2, he replaced Nagaoka and went 0 for 2, facing Yuki Matsui in the 7th and Yuki Matsui (K) in the 9th. Nakano batted .276/.301/.346 with 23 stolen bases and 6 dingers in 2022, and won his first career Best Nine award as a shortstop in this year. He had 205 votes to 88 for runner-up Nagaoka. He was 4th in the CL in swipes and tied Tetsuto Yamada for 7th with 69 runs.

Nakano then made Japan's roster for the 2023 World Baseball Classic. He was 3 for 10 with a triple and four walks for the champs, backing up Sosuke Genda. He was retired by Tae-in Won his first time up. His three-bagger was off Cheol-won Jeong.