Hiroto Fuku

Hiroto Fuku
Chunichi Dragons – No. 34
Pitcher
Born: (1992-06-16) June 16, 1992
Bats: Left Throws: Left
debut
March 25, 2016, for the Chunichi Dragons
Career statistics
(through 2016)
Win-Loss 1-2
Hold points 5
ERA 4.78
Strikeouts 31
Teams

Hiroto Fuku (福 敬登 Fuku Hiroto, born June 16, 1992 in Kobe, Hyōgo, Japan) is a professional Japanese baseball player. He plays pitcher for the Chunichi Dragons.

Fuku was the 4th draft pick for the Dragons at the 2015 NPB draft.

Early career

Fuku started playing rubber ball baseball in elementary school. He reached the semi-finals of the Hyogo prefectural high school tournament with his school, Kobe West High School, but was unable to make an appearance at the summer koshien.

He worked for JR Kyushu manning Kokura Station in Fukuoka and playing baseball for the company team[1] where he played at the national baseball championships.

On 22 October 2016, at the 2015 Nippon Professional Baseball draft, Fuku was the 4th pick for the Chunichi Dragons.

At the press conference for the unveiling of the new draftees, it was announced that Fuku would be presented with the number 34 previously worn by the long-serving, 217 win taking pitcher, Masahiro Yamamoto.[2] At the conference, Fuku promised that "the responsibility of carrying on the legacy of a number worn by such a legend as Yamamoto is heavy but I don't think of that as a minus, rather is spurs me on to go out and do it. A professional never uses the word impossible." [1] At the conference Fuku was asked in a playful way whether he would give an impression of his time working with JR, and he replied with "This is a call for customers riding the express train to Hakata. For those customers taking the number 34 Sonic express please move to the number 4 platform." This playfully mixed in a reference to his new number to the applause and laughter of the crowd.[1]

Professional career

Chunichi Dragons

2016

Fuku was the only rookie in the 2015 draft class to make the opening day roster[3] and he made his professional debut on March 26th, 2016 as a relief pitcher in a 7-3 second day loss to the Hanshin Tigers.[4] On the 31st of March 2016 he made his starting debut against the Hiroshima Carp at Nagoya Dome.[5]

Fuku registered his first win against the Yomiuri Giants at the Tokyo Dome on May 7, 2016 as a reliever following starter Drew Naylor's withdrawal with injury.[6]

On 25 August, he returned to the mound after a long absence from the first team in an extended innings game against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows at Meiji Jingu Stadium where he gave up a walk-off wild pitch in the 11th inning resulting in a 9-8 loss.[7]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "元ＪＲ駅員の中日・福　入団会見で爆笑アナウンス" (in Japanese). Sponichi. 12 December 2015. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  2. ↑ "2015年ドラフト指名選手入団発表" (in Japanese). Chunichi Dragons Official Website. 11 December 2015. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  3. ↑ "出場選手登録および登録抹消 (Player Registration)" (in Japanese). Nippon Professional Baseball. 25 March 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  4. ↑ "【中日】ドラ４福、ド緊張でプロ初登板「めちゃくちゃ力みました (Draft #4, Fuku, with rattled nerves makes his first appearance."We really saw his power"" (in Japanese). Sports Hochi. 26 March 2016.
  5. ↑ "ドラフト４位が"福"を呼ぶ！！　きょう初先発 (Draft pick #4 Fuku called! Today, first start!)" (in Japanese). Chunichi Sports. 31 March 2016.
  6. ↑ "中日・ドラ４福、緊急登板でプロ初勝利 (Chunichi draft pick #4, Fuku, emergency relief appearance brings first pro win!)" (in Japanese). Daily Yomiuri. 7 May 2016. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
  7. ↑ "中日・福　涙で言葉にならず…延長１１回サヨナラ暴投 (Chunichi's Fuku's tears drown out words...11th inning walk-off wild pitch)" (in Japanese). 26 August 2016. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
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