Toshio Kato

Toshio Kato (加藤 俊夫)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10", Weight 187 lb.

• High School Sendai Ikuei High School

• Born January 20, 1948 in Sendai, Miyagi Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Toshio Kato has caught in Nippon Pro Baseball.

Kato was drafted by the Taiyo Whales in the second round of the 1965 NPB draft, but he refused to sign and joined the Nippon Light Metal baseball team of the Japan Amateur Baseball Association. The Tokyo Yakult Swallows drafted him again in the second round of the 1986 NPB draft. Kato debuted on April 12, 1967, and collected his first NPB career hit from Katsuya Sugawara on July 12. Kato mainly played backup to Yoshitaka Okamoto in his rookie year, and only played 41 games in that season.

When Okamoto transferred to the Nishitetsu Lions, Kato took over the starting catcher spot, and batted .205/.291/.352 with 11 homers in 293 at-bats in 1968. He batted .218/.292/.379 with 13 dingers in 1969. However, Kato was arrested for driving without a license in the middle in 1970, and was banned by the league in the rest of the season. The Swallows released him after this season, and he also missed the entire 1971 season.

The Toei Flyers signed Kato before the 1972 season, and he hit .241/.343/.381 with 10 homers in that season. He was selected into the All-Star Game for the first time in his career, but went 0-for-1 in that event. He ended up batting .293/.390/.452 with 12 homers in that year. Kato struggled in the 1974 season, only had a .190/.313/.226 batting line, and Hiroshi Takahashi replaced him to start for the team (now known as the Nippon-Ham Fighters). Kato still played backup to Takashi, and recorded a .250/.291/.444 batting line in the 1975 season.

Kato took back the starting catcher spot in 1976, and batted .270/.327/.370 with 5 homers in that season. 1977 was Kato's career year. He was selected into the 1977 NPB All-Star Game, but recorded a 0-for-3. Kato ended up hitting .270/.346/.402 with a career-high 17 steals, and won both the Best Nine and NPB Gold Glove Award. Kato participated in the All-Star Game again in 1978, but went 0-for-3 again. He batted .250/.322/.385 with 12 homers in this season. Kato became the first player who failed to steal 2nd base, 3rd base and home in a game in 1979. He recorded a .259/.347/.437 with a career-high 14 homers in that season. The Sendai native was selected into the 1980 NPB All-Star Game, and finally got his first hit in the All-Star Game in the 6th inning of Game 2 from Takashi Nishimoto. He hit .263/.372/.344 with 8 dingers in this year. Kato was replaced by Tatsuo Omiya in 1981, and only played 48 games in this year. The Fighters traded Kato to the Taiyo Whales for Takayuki Iwai before the 1982 season. Kato mainly played backup catcher for the Whales, and retired after he tore his Achilles' tendon in 1985.

Overall, Kato had hit .247/.331/.375 in 18 seasons in NPB.