If you are a new fan and are not particularly familiar with the team, let this be your introduction! We are going to break down the entire roster for you very briefly so you can get a feel for who is whom, what they have done, and what they might do in 2022 and beyond.
This is Part 2, which will look at the infielders. Click here to see a breakdown of the catchers. In the days to come, we will do features on the outfielders, starters, and relievers. So… here we GO!
The Real Deals
#3 Yusuke Ohyama
Age (as of Opening Day): 27
Experience: 5 seasons / 580 games
Key Numbers/Facts: Averaging nearly 50 XBH per season since 2019
Sales Point(s): Power
Trending: Up? Needs to reach 30 HR plateau to get full respect/recognition league-wide
#31 Jefry Marte
Age (as of Opening Day): 30
Experience: 3 seasons / 262 games
Key Numbers/Facts: More BB (88) than K (86) since 2020
Sales Point(s): Power, discipline
Trending: Across – His 22 HRs last season are just about right
#33 Kento Itohara
Age (as of Opening Day): 29
Experience: 5 seasons / 540 games
Key Numbers/Facts: Has hit .286 or higher in 3 of past 4 seasons; OBP in decline…
Sales Point(s): Average, discipline
Trending: Down – Defense is a huge liability, injured 2 straight years, plate discipline waning
#8 Teruaki Sato
Age (as of Opening Day): 23
Experience: 1 season / 126 games
Key Numbers/Facts: 20 HRs before ASB in 2021; league-worst 173 K; played mostly RF in 2021
Sales Point(s): Power, arm, defense (?)
Trending: Up – HUGE potential to lead team/league in HRs for years to come.
#51 Takumu Nakano
Age (as of Opening Day): 25
Experience: 1 season / 135 games
Key Numbers/Facts: League-worst 17 E, league-best 30 SB in 2021
Sales Point(s): Defense, speed, average
Trending: Up – Just 4 errors post-ASB, excellent range, instincts, bat control
The Back-Ups
#0 Seiya Kinami
Age (as of Opening Day): 27
Experience: 3 seasons / 297 games
Key Numbers/Facts: Has been Opening Day shortstop 3 straight years
Sales Point(s): Defense (?)
Trending: Down – Average, OPS, playing time all going down since Nakano’s emergence
#4 Takahiro Kumagai
Age (as of Opening Day): 26
Experience: 4 seasons / 130 games
Key Numbers/Facts: Just 6 PA in 73 games last season (0 H, 7 SB)
Sales Point(s): Speed, Versatility
Trending: Up – If not, he will not last much longer!
#38 Ryuhei Obata
Age (as of Opening Day): 21
Experience: 3 seasons / 97 games
Key Numbers/Facts: .287 with 14 SB on the farm in 2021
Sales Point(s): Defense, speed
Trending: Up – If he develops his hitting game, he will get a lot of playing time
#00 Yasuhiro Yamamoto
Age (as of Opening Day): 28
Experience: 6 seasons / 255 games
Key Numbers/Facts: Traded from Giants in 2020 offseason; walk-off hit 4/3/21
Sales Point(s): Defense
Trending: Down – Younger, faster guys could squeeze him out of the plans…
The Future
#45 Jo Endo
Age (as of Opening Day): 20
Experience: 2 seasons / 0 games
Key Numbers/Facts: Hit .235 in 86 farm games in 2021
Sales Point(s): Not yet sure
Trending: Up – He took part in top squad camp this spring, looks much improved
#67 Nozomu Takatera
Age (as of Opening Day): 19
Experience: 1 season / 0 games
Key Numbers/Facts: After .162 in 58 farm games, hit .522 in 13 Phoenix League (offseason farm) games
Sales Point(s): Average, speed, defense
Trending: Up – He took part in top squad camp this spring, drew rave reviews from scouts
The Wild Cards
#55 Naomasa Yohkawa
Age (as of Opening Day): 30
Experience: 8 seasons / 256 games
Key Numbers/Facts: Career .668 OPS but no single season number is close to the median
Sales Point(s): Power
Trending: Down – His lack of consistency combined with incoming younger talent will leave him with little playing time…
#94 Fumihito Haraguchi
Age (as of Opening Day): 30
Experience: 12 seasons / 409 games
Key Numbers/Facts: Stomach cancer survivor, former catcher (2010-21)
Sales Point(s): Clutch hitting, some power
Trending: Down – Trying 3B for the first time ever at this age just to get more playing time, but Ohyama and Sato block him at the hot corner.
#62 Kai Ueda
Age (as of Opening Day): 25
Experience: 7 seasons / 337 games
Key Numbers/Facts: Nearly as many career SB (51) as H (62).
Sales Point(s): Speed
Trending: Down – His defense and bat do not play well enough to earn him regular playing time; mostly a pinch-runner.
#26 Fumiya Hojoh
Age (as of Opening Day): 27
Experience: 9 seasons / 423 games
Key Numbers/Facts: Has lost playing time since a separated left shoulder injury in 2018
Sales Point(s): Pinch-hitting
Trending: Down – Less-than-remarkable defense and not much progress at the dish mean he is low on the totem pole. Plus, he got hurt on 3 separate occasions (ankle, shoulder, arm) last season.