Yusuke Masago

Yusuke Masago
Masago with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
Free agent
Outfielder
Born: (1994-05-04) May 4, 1994 (age 30)
Kyoto City, Kyoto, Japan
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
NPB debut
July 30, 2017, for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
NPB statistics
(through 2022 season)
Batting average.219
Home runs3
Runs batted in16
Teams
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing  Japan
U-23 Baseball World Cup
Gold medal – first place 2016 Monterrey Team

Yusuke Masago (真砂 勇介, Masago Yusuke, born May 4, 1994) is a Chinese-Japanese professional baseball outfielder. He previously played for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball.

Professional career

On October 25, 2012, Masago was drafted by the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks in the 2012 Nippon Professional Baseball draft.[1]

Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks

2013–2020 season

In 2013 - 2016 season, Masago played in informal matches against Shikoku Island League Plus's teams and amateur baseball teams, and played in the Western League of NPB's minor leagues. On November 28, 2016, He was honored for the Western League Big Hope Award at the NPB AWARDS 2016.[2]

On July 14, 2017, Masago debuted in the Pacific League against the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.[3] And on August 3, He recorded his first Home run against the Orix Buffaloes.[4] In 2017 season, Masago played 9 games in the Pacific League.

In 2018 season, Masago played only one games in the Pacific League.

In 2019 season, Masago played 12 games in the Pacific League. And he recorded a 26 stolen bases in the Western League and he was honored with the 2019 Western League Most Stolen base Leader Award at the NPB AWARD 2019.[5]

In 2020 season, Masago finished the regular season in 50 games with a batting average of .314, one home runs and a RBI of 6. Masago was selected as the Japan Series roster in the 2020 Japan Series. And he recorded his first hit in the Japan Series.[6]

2021–2022 season

In 2021 season, Masago finished the season with a .254 batting average, a one home run, and eight RBI in a career-high 71 games.[7]

In 2022 season, he had a .301 batting average and eight home runs in the Western League, but in the Pacific League he slumped to a .071 batting average in 29 games.[8] October 17, 2022, the Hawks announced he was a free agent.[9]

International career

Masago represented the Japan national baseball team at the 2016 U-23 Baseball World Cup.[10] And he was honored for the Most valuable player and the Best Nine Award at the 2016 U-23 Baseball World Cup.[11]

Masago committed to play for the China national baseball team at the 2023 World Baseball Classic. His father is Chinese and his mother is half-Chinese, half-Japanese. [12]

References

  1. ^ "Fukuoka Softbank Hawks news (Japanese) 2012/10/25(木) 球団 ドラフト会議で大学球界No.1東浜投手ら10人を指名！王会長「久しぶりにドキドキしました」". Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks Official site (in Japanese). October 25, 2012. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  2. ^ "Nippon Professional Baseball (Japanese) "2016年度 表彰選手 (ウエスタン・リーグ)". NPB.jp (in Japanese). November 28, 2016. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  3. ^ "Fukuoka Softbank Hawks Geme report (Japanese) 2017/07/30（日） 第17回戦 福岡ソフトバンク vs 北海道日本ハム". Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks Official site (in Japanese). July 14, 2017. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  4. ^ "Nikkan Sports baseball news (Japanese) ソフトバンク真砂「頭が真っ白」プロ初安打が本塁打". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). August 3, 2017. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  5. ^ "Sports Hochi Baseball News (Japanese) 【ソフトバンク】ウエスタン・リーグ盗塁王の真砂「走攻守すべて、もっともっとレベルアップしていきたい」". Sports Hochi (in Japanese). November 26, 2019. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  6. ^ "Fukuoka Softbank Hawks Geme report (Japanese) 2020/11/22（日） 第2戦 巨人 vs 福岡ソフトバンク". Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks Official site (in Japanese). November 22, 2020. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  7. ^ "Nishinippon Sports baseball news 真砂が来季10年目で初の1000万円超え 球団には本拠地の「ボールが見えづらい」". Nishinippon Shimbun (in Japanese). December 14, 2021. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  8. ^ "Nishinippon Sports baseball news 2軍打率3割超の真砂勇介に戦力外通告 「挑戦したい」現役続行を希望". Nishinippon Shimbun (in Japanese). October 17, 2022. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  9. ^ "Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks press release 2022/10/17(月) プレスリリース 来季契約について". Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks Official site (in Japanese). October 17, 2022. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  10. ^ "Japan national baseball team news (Japanese) 選手発表「第1回 WBSC U-23ベースボールワールドカップ」に出場する侍ジャパンU-23代表選手が決定". Japan national baseball team Official site (in Japanese). October 12, 2016. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  11. ^ "full-count.jp Baseball News (Japanese)【U-23W杯】侍ジャパン真砂、大会最多タイ4本塁打で大会MVPに 武田もベストナイン". full-count.jp (in Japanese). November 7, 2016. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  12. ^ "Baseball: Ex-Hawks outfielder ready for WBC stint with China". Kyodo News. 13 February 2023. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
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