Toshikazu Sawazaki

Toshikazu Sawazaki (澤崎 俊和)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 170 lbs.

• School Aoyama Gakuin University
• High School Shigakukan High School

• Born September 21, 1974 in Chiba, Chiba, Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Toshikazu Sawazaki played in Nippon Pro Baseball for 8 years.

Sawazaki was drafted by the Hiroshima Carp in the first round of the 1996 NPB draft, and he soon joined the rotation as a rookie. He was 12-8 with a 3.74 ERA in 156 1/3 innings, and won the CL Rookie of the Year Award. Sawazaki also pitched 2 innings in 1997 NPB All-Star Game 2, but he allowed 2 runs due to Tuffy Rhodes's RBI single. He injured his right elbow in 1998, and struggled in 1999. Although he collected 14 saves, his ERA was a terrible 6.38. The Chiba native injured his right elbow again, so he missed the entire 2000 season and only pitched 5 games in 2001. He came back and recorded a 4.34 ERA in 40 relief outings in 2003, but he slumped to 2-2 with a 6.70 ERA in 32 games in 2004. He only pitched 2 games in 2005, then announced his retirement after this season. He then became the minor league pitching coach for the Carp in 2006 and from 2009 to 2019. He also served as bullpen coach for their big club from 2007 to 2008 and worked as pitching coach in 2020.

Overall, Sawazaki was 24-17, collected 15 saves with a 4.70 ERA, struck out 243 and pitched 360 innings in 8 years in the NPB.

Related Sites

• Wiki Japan
• NPB.com Bio