Ishibashi was widely regarded as the top high school aged catcher available at the 2018 NPB Draft.[1]
Early career
On 25 October 2018, Ishibashi was selected as the 4th draft pick for the Chunichi Dragons at the 2018 NPB Draft and on 21 November signed a provisional contract with a ¥40,000,000 sign-on bonus and a ¥6,000,000 yearly salary.[2]
Professional career
2019
On 7 July, Ishibashi made his professional debut as a pinch-hitter for Yuya Yanagi against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows.[3] Ishibashi's debut marked the first time since Yasuhiko Kawai 1952 that a Dragons catcher, fresh out of high school had debuted in their first year[4] and the first time since the draft was introduced.[5] Two days later Ishibashi started against the Hiroshima Carp at Nagoya Dome with fellow teenager Tatsuya Shimizu on the mound.[6]
Playing style
Ishibashi can long throw up to 115 metres,[7] has a pop-time of 1.9 seconds[8] and can bat for power.[7]
^Matsunaga, Kinya (2018-10-04). "気になる有力選手と隠し玉候補は? 西尾×小関×福田ドラフト鼎談" [What are the talented and diamond in the rough player of interest? Nishio, Kozono, Fukuda]. Yahoo! Sports Navi (in Japanese). Retrieved 2019-01-08.
^"4位・石橋、「勝てる捕手」目標" [#4 Ishibashi Aims to be a "winning catcher"]. Chunichi Sports (in Japanese). 2018-11-21. Retrieved 2019-01-08.
^"中日 石橋康太がデビュー" [Chunichi's Kota Ishibashi debuts]. Baseball Online (in Japanese). 2019-07-07. Retrieved 2020-02-27.
^"【中日】ドラフト4位・石橋が初の1軍昇格へ 開幕マスクの加藤が2軍降格" [[Chunichi] Draft #4 Ishibashi promoted to first team for first time; opening day catcher Kato sent down.]. Sports Hochi (in Japanese). 2019-07-07. Archived from the original on 2019-07-07. Retrieved 2020-02-27.
^"中日「10代バッテリー」で勝負 清水-石橋康太" [Chunichi fights on with a "Teenage battery" Shimizu-Kota Ishibashi]. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 2019-07-09. Archived from the original on 2019-07-09. Retrieved 2020-02-27.
^ ab"4位新人・石橋が1軍練習参加へ 正捕手候補を首脳陣徹底チェック" [#4 Rookie Ishibashi participates in 1-gun training. Management checking on full-time catcher options]. Chunichi Sports (in Japanese). 2019-07-07. Archived from the original on 2019-07-07. Retrieved 2020-02-27.
^"中日ドラフト4位の関東第一・石橋に指名あいさつ 球を受けてみたい投手は「松坂さん」" [Chunichi #4 pick, Kanto Daiichi's Ishibashi has selection greeting says he'd like to catch for "Matsuzaka-san"]. Sponichi (in Japanese). 2019-07-07. Archived from the original on 2019-07-07. Retrieved 2020-02-27.
^"4位・石橋、日本一の捕手目指す ノムさん&古田本でプロの配球術" [#4 Ishibashi, Aims to be Japan series winning catcher; learning techniques of pro catching from Nomu-chan and Furuta's books.]. Chunichi Sports (in Japanese). 2018-11-21. Retrieved 2019-01-08.