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Yuta Iwasada

Yuta Iwasada
Hanshin Tigers – No. 14
Pitcher
Born: (1991-09-05) September 5, 1991 (age 33)
Kumamoto City, Kumamoto
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
NPB debut
August 10, 2014, for the Hanshin Tigers
Career statistics
(through 2023 season)
Games272
Win–loss40-42
Earned Run Average3.61
Strikeouts600
Saves0
Holds55
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Yuta Iwasada (岩貞 祐太, Iwasada Yuta, born September 5, 1991 in Kumamoto City, Kumamoto) is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher who currently plays for the Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professional Baseball.[1]

Career

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Early career

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Yuta started his baseball career in 4th grade as an outfielder for the Wakaba Elementary School, and in 6th grade, made it to the semi-finals of a national baseball tournament.[2] He doubled as 1st-base infielder and pitcher for the Kumamoto Hitsuyukan Senior High but his team never made it to nationals.

He entered the Yokohama College of Commerce, and in his sophomore year, was chosen to pitch for the national team for the US-Japan Collegiate Baseball Championships. In his senior year, he was awarded Best Nine in the Kanagawa University Baseball League after winning 6 games in the tournament.[3][4]

Hanshin Tigers

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He was the Tiger's 1st round 3rd alternative pick during the 2013 Nippon Professional Baseball draft (after not winning the lottery for Daichi Ohsera and Yuta Kakita). He signed a 100 million yen contract with Hanshin plus a 50 million yen signing bonus, for an estimated annual salary of 15 million yen. He was assigned the jersey no. 17.[5]

2014

He joined the main squad for spring camp training in Okinawa, and started the practice game against the Eagles on Feb 19. After the game, he felt pain in his left ankle resulting from a torn ligament, and was consequently restrained from pitching further until he was fully healed.[6] He resumed pitching in the Western League farm games in July, and finally debuted in his first official start on the August 10 home game against the Carps in Kyocera Dome[7] where he gave up 4 runs in 4 innings. His first win came a week after in a match against the Baystars, where he allowed only two runs over 5⅓ innings.[8] He had four more starts after that, but unfortunately lost all of them. He finished the season with a 1–4 record, and an ERA of 4.60.

2015

During spring camp, he competed with fellow 2013 draft and lefty Suguru Iwazaki for a spot in the pitching rotation, but in the end, Iwazaki prevailed.[9] Only when Iwazaki fell into a slump mid-season did Iwasada get a chance to make it to the lineup. He started the May 24 match against the Baystars, but pitched poorly and promptly lost the match. He made up for it in his next start against the Marines during the interleague, where he pitched 7 scoreless innings and earned his first and only win for the season, and his first ever victory in Koshien.[10]

During off-season, he was selected to pitch for the national team in the Winter League games in Taiwan. After pitching in 5 games, he received the league's Most Valuable Pitcher award after a 2–0 record and an astounding ERA of 0.53.[11]

2016

This was Iwasada's breakout season. He trained with the farm team during spring camp, but his good performance on the plate earned him the 6th spot in the starting rotation when the season started.[12] On April 2, he pitched 7 scoreless innings and struck out 12 batters, earning him the win in his first outing against the Baystars.[13] His next start against the Carps was equally successful, and he achieved his first ever consecutive double digit strikeout record. He continued this streak on April 16, and became the first NPB southpaw pitcher and the only one from Central League to start their season with 3 consecutive double digit strikeouts.[14]

On May 27, he single-handedly pitched a 1-0 complete shutout victory against the Giants, and became the first Hanshin pitcher to record a shutout victory against their arch rivals on his first outing against them.[15] He fell into a slump during the Inter-league games in June, but his previous feats earned him his first ever spot in the mid-season All Star Series where he pitched as a reliever in Game 2.[16] He had a few more shaky starts in the following weeks, but he recovered and became unstoppable in September where he recorded 4 wins with a 0.58 ERA.[17] This won him his first ever Central League MVP of the Month award.[18] He recorded his 10th win on his last start in Koshien, and finished the season with a personal best 10-9 record, 156 strike outs and a 2.90 ERA.[19] He also had a 3-0 record and 0.58 ERA against the Giants, the best among the Tigers pitchers for the season.[20]

2018

He was also selected to pitch for the 2018 All-Star Series.[21]

Playing style

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Pitch Distribution for Yuta Iwasada
Pitch Distribution for Yuta Iwasada

He throws a four-seam fastball as his main pitch (max velocity of 148 km/h), and alternates with a cutter in the mid 130s, a slider in 120s and a change-up with a wide velocity range. Also included in his arsenal are a shuuto, a slow curveball in the low 110s, and occasionally a fork ball.[4][22][23]

In 2016, Tigers ace Atsushi Nohmi started teaching him how to master his specialty pitch, the forkball, as well as tips on how to control his changeup better.[24]

Career statistics

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References

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  1. ^ "熊本出身の阪神岩貞7回0封、3戦連続2桁K実らず". Nikkan Sports. April 16, 2016. Retrieved April 17, 2016.
  2. ^ "2013ドラフト総決算号". Weekly Baseball Magazine. November 11, 2013.
  3. ^ "「1軍入りを目指せ」 必由館出身・岩貞投手 ドラフトで虎1位 [熊本県]". Nishinippon Shimbun. October 25, 2013. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  4. ^ a b "横浜商大・岩貞が赤丸急上昇！". Daily Sports. October 23, 2013. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  5. ^ "横浜商大・岩貞の阪神入団が決定". Daily Sports. November 10, 2013. Retrieved November 10, 2013.
  6. ^ "阪神ドラフト1位岩貞 長期離脱も 左肘痛…投球再開メド立たず". Sports Nippon. February 27, 2014.
  7. ^ "阪神岩貞悔し…4回4失点KOデビュー". Nikkan Sports. August 10, 2014.
  8. ^ "虎のドラフト1位岩貞プロ1勝 V争い救世主だ". Nikkan Sports. August 18, 2014.
  9. ^ "阪神岩崎、岩貞「第６の男」争い譲らず延長戦へ". Nikkan Sports. March 12, 2015. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
  10. ^ "阪神岩貞ビビらず攻めた 悔しさバネに甲子園初勝利". Nikkan Sports. June 5, 2015. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
  11. ^ "阪神・岩貞 能見と合同自主トレ実現へ!台湾ウインターリーグ投手MVP手土産に". Sports Nippon. December 22, 2015.
  12. ^ "阪神岩貞一軍合流「色気づくことなく謙虚に」". Nikkan Sports. March 31, 2016.
  13. ^ "阪神岩貞快投、自己最多12Kで1年ぶり白星". Nikkan Sports. April 3, 2016.
  14. ^ "阪神岩貞、左腕史上初!開幕から3戦連続2桁奪三振". Nikkan Sports. April 17, 2016.
  15. ^ "巨人、泥沼６連敗 菅野、自責ゼロで今季初黒星 岩貞にプロ初完封許す". Sports Nippon. May 27, 2016. Retrieved May 27, 2016.
  16. ^ "2016年7月16日（土）横浜 【オールスターゲーム】 セントラル・リーグ vs パシフィック・リーグ 第2戦 投打成績". 日本野球機構(NPB Official Site). July 16, 2016. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  17. ^ "阪神・岩貞 月間MVP見えた!9月4戦4勝 虎4位イケる". Sports Nippon. September 26, 2016. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
  18. ^ "岩貞、ロペス、増井が初受賞 内川は5度目 9月の月間MVP". Sankei News. October 7, 2016. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
  19. ^ "【プロ野球】神6－巨0 阪神7連勝 岩貞が初の2桁勝利". Sankei News. October 1, 2016. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  20. ^ "今年は違うの?阪神・岩貞 Gキラー初黒星「反省して考えていかないと」". Sports Nippon. April 8, 2017. Retrieved April 9, 2017.
  21. ^ "マイナビオールスターゲーム2018 出場者". NPB.jp 日本野球機構 (in Japanese). July 3, 2018.
  22. ^ "3度目の正直！和田監督、横浜商大・岩貞の交渉権獲得／ドラフト". Sankei Sports. October 24, 2013.
  23. ^ "【10・24ドラフト 注目の新星】横浜商大・岩貞祐太投手 奪三振の山築く即戦力左腕 冷静なマウンドさばきも魅力". Zakzak News. October 22, 2013.
  24. ^ "【阪神】岩貞、能見との合同自主トレで課題のタテ系変化球学ぶ". Sports Hochi. January 17, 2016.