Yuki Karakawa

Yuki Karakawa (唐川 侑己)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 167 lb.

• High School Narita High School

• Born July 5, 1989 in Narita, Chiba Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Yuki Karakawa was the Chiba Lotte Marines' first-round pick in the 2007 NPB draft. He became the first player in franchise history to skip ni-gun and go straight to the big show. He had a 5-4, 4.85 record in 2008, allowing a .306 average but showing excellent control (12 BB in 81 2/3 IP). The young hurler went 5-8 with a 3.64 ERA and 28 walks in 143 1/3 innings in 2009.

Karakawa was 6-3 with a 2.71 ERA in 2010, continuing to improve. He had a huge split as lefties batted .316 versus him, righties .201. He got the call in game four of the 2010 Japan Series against a pitcher who was in a Japan Series before Karakawa was even born - Masahiro Yamamoto. Neither fared well, with Yuki giving up two runs and five hits in 3 1/3 IP before being pulled for Takuya Furuya; he outlasted Yamamoto by 1/3 of an inning.

Karakawa throws a slider, curveball, changeup and fastball (tops out at 92 mph).

Sources

• Chinese Wiki Baseball
• Japan Baseball Daily