Yoshinobu Mizukami

Yoshinobu Mizukami (水上 由伸) (Yoshi)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 9", Weight 178 lb.

• School Shikoku Gakuin University
• High School Teikyo Daisan High School

• Born July 13, 1998 in Miyata, Nagano Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Yoshinobu Mizukami won a Rookie of the Year in Nippon Pro Baseball. He was named after Yoshinobu Takahashi.

Mizukami was taken by the Seibu Lions in the 5th round of the developmental phase of the 2020 NPB draft, their last selection. He split the year between the top team (0-1, 2.33 in 29 G) and the farm (0-2, 5.60 in 18 G). He walked 16 in 27 innings in the Pacific League but did not allow a run in his first 19 games, breaking Hiroshi Kaino' PL record. He was even better in 2022, going 4-4 with a save, 1.77 ERA and .91 WHIP in 60 games. In 2022 NPB All-Star Game 2, he relieved Fumiya Ono in the 6th with a 2-1 lead, one of 11 PL pitchers that day. He retired Shogo Sakakura then struck out Teruaki Sato. Dayán Viciedo singled, but Seiji Kobayashi grounded out to end the inning. In the 7th, he was succeeded by Takayuki Kishi. He was third in the PL in appearances, one behind Kaima Taira and Naoto Nishiguchi. He won the 2022 Pacific League Rookie of the Year Award with 177 votes to 58 for runner-up Shota Abe. He was the third development phase draft pick to win a NPB Rookie of the Year after Tetsuya Yamaguchi and Tetsuya Matsumoto and the first in the PL.

He throws a fastball (peak 94.4 mph), cut fastball and shuuto.