Kevin Shim (21, Korean name Shim Jong-hyun), the second son of Jung-soo “Hercules” Shim, who hit 328 home runs in the KBO, was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Major League Baseball draft. The infielder, who attended the University of San Diego, is a long-hitting prospect with his father’s blood in his veins. He was selected in the fifth round, 148th overall, and signed for $421,000 ($550,000). He has taken on the challenge of following his father’s major league dreams.
Shohei Ohtani (29-LA Angels), Darvish Yu (37-San Diego Padres), Godai Senga (30-New York Mets), and Masataka Yoshida (30-Boston Red Sox) are the latest Japanese college players to be selected in the Major League Baseball draft.
The Chicago White Sox selected University of Oregon infielder Rikyu Nishida, 22, in the 11th round (329th overall) on Wednesday.
He is the first Japanese player to be selected in the first round since Kosuke Kato, 29, was selected in the second round, 66th overall, by the New York Yankees in 2013.
Kato made his Major League debut with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2022, appearing in eight games before returning to Japan. He was drafted by Nippon Professional Baseball and has been playing for the Nippon Ham Fighters this season. He has appeared in 30 games this year, batting .259 (27-for-106) with four home runs and 12 RBIs.
5-foot-11, 200 pounds. Right-handed hitting second baseman. Nishida is said to be the smallest player in the draft.
Born in Osaka Prefecture, Nishida is a product of baseball’s prestigious Tohokugo program in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture. Major leaguers such as Kazuhiro Sasaki, Darvish, and Takeshi Saito graduated from the school. Nee
The University of Oregon second baseman is known for his excellent contact and quick feet. In 63 games this year, he went 3-for-1 with five home runs, 37 RBIs, 25 doubles and 67 runs scored. The Associated Press
Cida has been playing since the fall of his freshman year of high school, but he never took the field.
He pursued a different path after high school. After graduating in 2020, his father encouraged him to study in the United States to pursue his major league dreams.
Excellent contact and quick feet are Nishida’s strengths. As a freshman at Mount Hood Community College, he stole 33 bases in 36 games. After transferring to the University of Oregon, Nishida went 3-for-1 with two doubles, five home runs and 37 RBIs in 63 games this season. As a leadoff hitter, he stole a collegiate-record 25 bases and drove in 67 runs.
It’s the first time in three years that he’s earned a major league roster spot since moving to the United States after high school in Japan.
A major league roster spot is the first gateway to the major leagues. It’s the first gateway to the major leagues.체스카지노
“I’ve been living in the U.S. since I was 6 years old and had time to learn English, but he went from Japan to the U.S. and got drafted in three years,” said Kato, who was drafted earlier. It’s amazing,” he said.
“He knows that being drafted is not a finish line. It’s going to be tough, but I hope he adjusts to the environment quickly.”
Kato made his major league debut after 10 years in the minors.