Yoshihiko Kajiyama

Yoshihiko Kajiyama (梶山 義彦)

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 176 lb.

• High School Shizuoka High School

• Born July 24, 1970 in Shizuoka, Shizuoka Japan

Olympics-Reference page

Biographical Information

Yoshihiko Kajiyama is a former Olympic outfielder.

After high school, Kajiyama played for Mitsubishi Motors in Japan's industrial leagues from 1989-2006. He hit .250/.347/.547 as the starting left fielder for the Japanese national team in the 1997 Intercontinental Cup. In the Gold Medal game, he hit 5th behind Yoshinobu Takahashi and went 2 for 5 with a double, homer, run and 2 RBI as Japan upset the Cuban national team, 11-2; it was the first time in 15 years Cuba failed to win the Gold in a major tournament.

Kajiyama played in the 1998 Asian Games (Japan won Silver) and 1999 Asian Championship (they won another Silver). In the 1999 Intercontinental Cup, Yoshihiko had a batting line of .267/.389/.300 while starting at first base for Japan. He led his team with six walks and two steals. He went 0 for 4 with a walk in the Bronze Medal game, as Japan beat Team USA, 6-0.

After a run of four medals in four events, Kajiyama fell shy in the biggie. In the 2000 Olympics, he was just 2 for 19 with 3 walks, 7 strikeouts, 2 runs and one RBI in eight games, while splitting right field with Jun Hirose. In the Bronze Medal game, Japan fell to South Korea (just as in finales of the 1998 Asian Games and 1999 Asian Championship). Kajiyama went 0 for 2 against Dae-sung Koo before being replaced by Hirose in the 7th.

After his playing career ended, Kajiyama coached for Mitsubishi.