| Reia Nakachi 仲地礼亜 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Chunichi Dragons – No. 31 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: February 15, 2001 Yomitan, Okinawa, Japan | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| NPB debut | |
| 13 May 2023, for the Chunichi Dragons | |
| NPB statistics (through 2023 season) | |
| Win–loss record | 2-5 |
| Innings pitched | 43.1 |
| Earned run average | 4.98 |
| Strikeouts | 37 |
| Teams | |
| |
Reia Nakachi (仲地礼亜, Nakachi Reia, born February 15, 2001) is a professional Japanese baseball player. He plays pitcher for the Chunichi Dragons.
Early career
[edit]Nakachi started playing baseball while at Yomitan Village Furugen Elementary School, and while at Yomitan Village Furugen Middle School, he started playing with Chatan Boys. Chasing after his 2-year senior brother, Kuore, Nakachi entered Okinawa Prefectural Kadena Senior High School.[1] In summer of his first year, his team made it to the Japanese High School Baseball Championship with his brother as the team's ace, but Nakachi hadn't even made the bench. From his second year however, Nakachi would perform as the team's ace but unfortunately was unable to emulate his brother's experience at Koshien, going as far as the semi-finals of the Okinawan Prefectural tournament where he lost out to Kōnan High School's, Hiroya Miyagi.[2]
Nakachi would join Okinawa University, starting on the bench in his first year. In spring of his third year in the All Japan Baseball Championship, he would pitch 8 innings for one earned-run against Meijo University, collecting the interest of scouts.[3][4]
On September 10, 2022, Nakachi submitted his expression of interest to become a professional baseball player.[1] The Chunichi Dragons would late make public that they would be selecting Nakachi with their first-round pick, and on October 19,[4] the Dragons would make well on the word selecting Nakachi in the first round of the 2022 Nippon Professional Baseball draft.[5][6] Upon selection, he became the first Okinawa University alumni to be selected in the draft.[3][5][6] On 7 November, Nakachi signed a contract worth ¥16,000,000 per year with a sign-on bonus of ¥100,000,000 and ¥50,000,000 in incentives.[7]
Professional career
[edit]Chunichi Dragons
[edit]2023
[edit]Nakachi started spring training with the second team, however he would later join up with the first team in the latter half. He appeared in some pre-season games. On 13 May, Nakachi made his first-team debut as a starter against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, however after giving up a 2-run homer to Munetaka Murakami in the first inning, he was replaced in the second inning by a pinch-hitter leaving the game as the losing pitcher.[8] On July 26, Nakachi would record his first win with 6 scoreless innings against the Yokohama DeNA Baystars.[9] He would appear in 9 games in total, going 2–5 with a 4.98 ERA and 37 strieouts. In the offseason, his contract would be downgraded by ¥1,000,000, re-signing at ¥15,000,000 for 2024.[10] In late November, Nakachi would join the NPB WHITE team for the Asia Winter Baseball League in Taiwan.[11]
Pitching style
[edit]Nakachi tops out at 152 km/h[12] while equipped with a change-up, curveball, cutter, slider, two-seamer and a split-finger fastball.[4]
Personal
[edit]Nakachi says he aims to be a pitcher like fellow Okinawans, Nao Higashihama and Sōhachi Aniya.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "甲子園出場の兄を追い沖縄大へ 最速151キロの仲地礼亜、プロ志望" [151kmh hurler Nakachi Reai, on the heels of this koshien experience brother wants to turn pro]. Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). 2022-09-09. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
- ^ Miyagi, Hisao (2018-07-22). "【高校野球沖縄大会】興南が決勝へ進出 ７―２で嘉手納破る ２年連続２０度目" [[High School Baseball Okinawa Tournament] Kōnan advances to finals with 7-2 win over Kadena - 2nd year in a row, 20th overall]. Ryukyu Shimpo (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-01-10.
- ^ a b "中日ドラフト1位・仲地礼亜「正直、信じられなかった」 「プロでは勝てる投手になりたい」" [First round pick Reia Nakachi "To be honest, I didn't beieve it" "I want to be a winning pitcher as a pro"]. Chunichi Sports. 2022-10-20. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
- ^ a b c "【中日】ドラフト１位指名公表、沖縄大・仲地礼亜 ２位以降はセンターライン強化へ" [[Chunichi] Publicized #1 pick, Okinawa Uni's Reia Nakachi, #2 onward to strengthen centre line]. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-01-10.
- ^ a b "【ドラフト会議】中日が沖縄大・仲地礼亜を単独1位指名 沖縄県内の大学から史上初のドラフト指名― スポニチ Sponichi Annex 野球" [[Draft Meeting] Chunichi chooses Okinawa Uni's Reia Nakachi with uncontested first pick, historical first selection of a player from an Okinawan college]. Sponichi. 2022-10-20. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
- ^ a b "中日は沖縄大・仲地礼亜を一本釣り 151キロ右腕を公言通り1位指名" [Chunichi takes Okinawa Uni's Reia Nakachi uncontested; 1st round selection for 151km righty goes as per publicized pick]. Chunichi Sports. 2022-10-20. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
- ^ a b "【中日】ドラフト1位の仲地礼亜が仮契約 目指すのは「先発で勝てる投手」 沖縄の新たな星になる" [Chunichi #1 Pick Reia Nakachi signs pre-contract, aims to be "a winning starter", Okinawa's new star]. Chunichi Sports (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-01-10.
- ^ "【中日】プロ初登板のドラ1・仲地礼亜に洗礼、初回に村神様"に2ラン被弾 2回に代打送られ1イニング2失点降板" [[Chuinichi] On first team debut, #1 pick Reia Nakachi gets hazed, gives up 2-run homer to "Mura-kamisama" in the first, replaced by pinch-hitter in the second]. Chunichi Sports (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-01-10.
- ^ Ando, Hiroki. "【中日】仲地礼亜プロ初勝利 球団ドラフト１位投手の本拠地初登板勝利は98年川上憲伸以来" [[Chunichi] Reia Nakachi gets first win. First debut win by a #1 pick at home since Kenshin Kawakami (1998).]. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-01-10.
- ^ "中日・仲地礼亜は100万円ダウン、年俸1500万円でサイン 期待のドラフト1位、ルーキーイヤーは2勝5敗" [Chunchi - Reia Nakachi down 1 million yen to re-sign at 15 million. #1 pick with high hopes goes 2-5 in rookie year]. Chunichi Sports (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-01-10.
- ^ "中日・仲地礼亜、台湾での今季ラス投は直球重視 「ボールは一級品。菅野みたいになれる」とコーチも評価" [[Chunichi] Reia Nakachi's last throw in Taiwan to focus on fastball "His pitches are top class. He can become like Sugano" says coach.]. Chunichi Sports (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-01-10.
- ^ "ルーキー・仲地礼亜 自己最速を更新152キロ、高橋周平ら代打陣が奮闘" [Rookie Reia Nakachi records new personal best of 152km/h, Shuhei Takahashi and co of the pinch-hitting team excited]. Nagoya Television. Retrieved 2024-01-10.