Daiki Enokida

1.1. Youth and School Baseball

Enokida began playing softball in the fourth grade at the Oosaki Softball Sports Youth Team in his hometown of Oosaki, Kagoshima. In the fifth grade, his team won a national championship. During this time, he formed a battery with Ryuhei Matsuyama, who was one year his senior and played as a catcher. The team's manager, Katsuro Niidome, later coached Kosuke Fukudome, who would become Enokida's teammate with the Hanshin Tigers.

In junior high school, Enokida joined the baseball team at Oosaki Junior High, playing as both a pitcher and an outfielder. At Kobayashi Nishi High School, he made the varsity bench in his first spring and began playing as a full-time pitcher in the fall. In the summer of his third year, his team lost in the semi-finals to Nichinan Gakuen High School, preventing them from reaching the Koshien Tournament. Despite being highly regarded as both a hitter and a pitcher, he was not drafted into professional baseball.

1.2. University and Corporate League Career

Enokida decided to enroll in Fukuoka University, aiming to obtain a teaching license for physical education. During his time at Fukuoka University, he played alongside Hiromichi Fujiwara, who later joined the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, and Hirokazu Shiranita, who would become his teammate at Hanshin. In the spring of his fourth year, despite an elbow injury, he contributed two wins to help his team secure the league championship and qualify for the university baseball championships. He accumulated 12 career victories in the league.

After graduating from university without being drafted, Enokida joined Tokyo Gas, a corporate baseball team. There, he played with Manabu Mima, who later joined the Rakuten Golden Eagles. From his first year, Enokida became a key pitcher for Tokyo Gas. In 2009, he received the Wakajishi Award at the 80th Intercity Baseball Tournament, drawing attention as a promising left-handed pitcher. He continued to perform well in the 81st Intercity Baseball Tournament in 2010.

In the 2010 NPB Draft, the Hanshin Tigers selected Enokida in the first round. He signed a contract with the highest possible terms, including a signing bonus of 100.00 M JPY, incentives totaling 50.00 M JPY, and an estimated annual salary of 15.00 M JPY. His uniform number was 13. The Tigers' scout who handled his signing was Takayoshi Nakao. In November 2010, after being drafted, Enokida represented Japan in baseball at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, where his team won a bronze medal.

2.1. Hanshin Tigers (2011-2017)

In 2011, Enokida made his professional debut on April 16 against the Chunichi Dragons. As a rookie, he immediately became a key set-up pitcher for the Tigers. On May 24, he earned his first professional win in a game against the Saitama Seibu Lions at Hanshin Koshien Stadium. On July 7, he recorded his first career save against the Chunichi Dragons at Nagoya Dome. His impressive performance led to his selection for the NPB All-Star Game by manager recommendation, making him the first Hanshin rookie to participate since then-pitching coach Keiichi Yabu in 1994. Although he was temporarily sent to the farm team due to accumulated fatigue in the mid-season, he returned to the first team on August 15 and resumed his role as a set-up pitcher. He appeared in 62 games during the regular season, setting a new club rookie record, surpassing Kazuaki Nishimura's 60 appearances in 1955. His 33 holds were the most for a rookie pitcher in the Central League and the second most all-time for an NPB rookie pitcher.

In 2012, Enokida continued as a set-up pitcher from the start of the season, tying an NPB record with eight consecutive holds. Although he pitched scoreless in his ninth appearance, he did not record a hold because his team had an 8-run lead, preventing him from setting a new record. He was slated for his second consecutive All-Star Game appearance as a replacement for the injured Tony Blanco of the Chunichi Dragons. However, he himself withdrew due to a left elbow joint injury, preventing him from achieving consecutive All-Star selections from his rookie year, a feat last accomplished by Keiichi Yabu for Hanshin. He returned to the first team on August 21, but a recurrence of left elbow pain led to a diagnosis of left elbow joint inflammation, resulting in his removal from the roster again on September 21. On September 27, despite the season being in its final stages, he underwent surgery to remove loose cartilage from his left elbow to facilitate an early return the following season.

For the 2013 season, Enokida transitioned to a starting pitcher role to reduce the strain on his left elbow after his surgery. He made his first career start on April 4 against the Chunichi Dragons at Kyocera Dome Osaka. Despite pitching eight innings and allowing only one unearned run on two hits, he was charged with the loss due to an error. However, in his second start on April 11 against the Yomiuri Giants at Koshien, he pitched 7 2/3 scoreless innings, securing his first win as a starter. At one point, he led the Central League in ERA. Nevertheless, his win count did not increase significantly, with only two wins in April and two in July. On September 15, in a game against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows at Meiji Jingu Stadium, Enokida surrendered two home runs to Wladimir Balentien in the first and third innings, which marked Balentien's 56th and 57th home runs of the season, setting new NPB and Asian records, respectively. Enokida was removed after only three innings, his shortest start of his professional career. He was subsequently removed from the first team roster on September 16 and did not return. Overall, in the regular season, he recorded four wins and nine losses, despite three of his wins coming against the league-winning Giants. He was unable to consistently secure a spot in the first-team starting rotation, experiencing three separate stints on the injured list. Following the season, he received his first professional salary reduction, signing for an estimated 41.00 M JPY.

In 2014, Enokida was entrusted with the start for the third game of the opening series against the Giants on March 30, but he suffered a loss after giving up four runs by the end of the third inning. He started three more games but was removed in the third inning in two of them and was removed from the roster on April 20. On June 8, against the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks at Koshien, despite his team scoring nine runs in the first inning, he gave up six runs in less than three innings and was removed from the game. He was again removed from the roster the next day. After a rehabilitation stint with the farm team, he returned to the first team as a relief pitcher. In August, he reported discomfort in his left shoulder but returned after the minimum 10-day rehabilitation period. On August 29, he made a relief appearance against the Yakult Swallows but was replaced without recording an out. The following day, in the same series, he again allowed one run after recording only one out, leading to his third removal from the roster that season. Overall, he appeared in 24 first-team games, recording two wins, one loss, and two holds, but failed to secure any wins as a starter.

For the 2015 season, due to a shortage of left-handed relief pitchers on the team, Enokida was designated solely as a middle reliever in an attempt to revive his career. However, he made only eight appearances in official games and finished the season without a win for the second consecutive year.

In 2016, on March 27, Enokida pitched in relief during the third game of the opening series against the Chunichi Dragons at Kyocera Dome Osaka. He pitched one scoreless inning, earning his first win in two years. He appeared in 35 first-team games, finishing with one win, one loss, and three holds, with an ERA of 4.35.

By 2017, Enokida spent most of the season with the farm team. He made three appearances in official games starting from September 7 against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp at Mazda Zoom-Zoom Stadium Hiroshima, recording a 1.42 ERA and one hold.

2.2. Saitama Seibu Lions (2018-2021)

On March 14, 2018, it was announced that Enokida would be traded to the Saitama Seibu Lions in exchange for Yosuke Okamoto. He was assigned uniform number 30 and officially registered as a player with NPB on March 16. Although he was expected to bolster the Lions' left-handed relief pitching, the team's situation-where Yusei Kikuchi was virtually the only left-handed starter-led Enokida to focus on adjusting to a starting pitcher role after the trade.

In the 2018 regular season, Enokida made his first appearance for the Lions as a starter on April 12 against the Chiba Lotte Marines at ZOZO Marine Stadium. He pitched six innings, allowing two runs on five hits, earning his first win since the trade. This marked his first win as a starter in 1,730 days, dating back to July 17, 2013, during his time with the Hanshin Tigers. From this game, he won all four of his starts until the game against the same opponent at Belluna Dome (formerly MetLife Dome) on May 13. On June 3, in a game against his former team, the Hanshin Tigers, at MetLife Dome, he held their lineup to three runs over seven innings, securing his season-high fifth win in a first-team official game. He continued to accumulate wins as a key member of the starting rotation, achieving double-digit victories on September 19 against the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters at MetLife Dome. He concluded the regular season by earning his 11th win on October 2 against the Fighters at Sapporo Dome, pitching seven innings and allowing only one run. After the team clinched their first Pacific League championship in 10 years, Enokida started Game 3 of the Climax Series Final Stage against the SoftBank Hawks on October 19 at MetLife Dome. This was his first official postseason appearance, including his time with Hanshin. However, he struggled, allowing four runs in three innings and being charged with the loss. Ultimately, the team was eliminated from the stage two days later, preventing Enokida from pitching in the 2018 Japan Series.

In 2019, with Kikuchi's departure to the Seattle Mariners creating a shortage of left-handed starters, Enokida focused on starting from spring training. He stayed with the first-team equivalent "A team" until midway through camp but suffered a triceps injury in his left upper arm, delaying his return to the first team until May 2, when he started against the Nippon-Ham Fighters at MetLife Dome. Despite pitching eight innings and allowing only one run to earn his first win of the season, his pitching form gradually deteriorated. He spent two months on the farm team from mid-June to correct his form. For the entire regular season, he made 13 appearances in first-team games, recording four wins and three losses, but his ERA reached 6.52.

In 2020, Enokida began the season with the farm team. From July to August, he was given four starts for the first team but struggled with inconsistent pitching, often allowing more hits than innings pitched. After giving up seven runs on five hits in less than three innings against the Nippon-Ham Fighters on August 26, he returned to the farm team for rehabilitation. On November 2, in a game against the Nippon-Ham Fighters, he pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing only one hit, and secured his first win of the year. This marked his final first-team appearance of the season, which he concluded with one win, one loss, and a 5.25 ERA over five starts.

Enokida again began the 2021 season with the farm team. On March 30, he started a farm team game but was hit by a batted ball, forcing him to leave after one inning. He returned to game action on May 1, but on May 18, he was again hit by a batted ball, this time on his left finger, forcing another emergency exit. He was diagnosed with an open fracture of his left thumb's distal phalanx and a fracture of its proximal phalanx, undergoing surgery on May 28. He did not make any first-team appearances that season and was given a release notification on October 20. On December 8, he participated in the 12-team joint tryout, pitching against three batters, including his former Hanshin teammate Fumiya Araki, and allowing one hit. However, he did not receive any offers from other teams and announced his retirement from playing on January 24, 2022.

3.1. Pitching Style and Repertoire

Enokida's pitching repertoire included a fastball that averaged 86 mph ^{(139 km/h)} and reached a top speed of 93 mph ^{(150 km/h)}. He also effectively threw two types of sliders: what he described as a more vertical "slurve" thrown around 75 mph ^{(120 km/h)} and a cut fastball. In addition, he utilized two types of screwballs, a forkball, and a curveball. His forkball was particularly distinctive for its unique, no-spin trajectory, which he reportedly threw only once or twice per game during his amateur career.

3.2. Defensive Skills

Beyond his pitching, Enokida was highly regarded for his defensive abilities as a pitcher. He was proficient in his quick motion to the plate and excelled at covering first base on ground balls.

A notable characteristic of Enokida's performance after joining the Seibu Lions in 2018 was his strong compatibility with the team's home ballpark, Belluna Dome (formerly MetLife Dome). Up until 2019, he held an impressive record of nine wins and only one loss in 16 starts in first-team official games at the dome, with his sole loss occurring against the Chunichi Dragons during interleague play in 2018.

4.1. Front Office and Coaching Roles

Concurrent with his announcement of retirement as a player on January 24, 2022, it was revealed that Enokida would join the Saitama Seibu Lions' Baseball Operations Department. His roles included positions within the Farm & Development Group, focusing on Biomechanics (with concurrent duties for the first team), and the Alliance Strategy section of the Planning Office. On October 13, 2023, the Lions announced that Enokida would serve as the pitching coach for their farm team starting in the 2024 season. His uniform number as a coach is 85.

5.1. Family

On March 1, 2012, during his second year with the Hanshin Tigers, Enokida announced his marriage to a non-celebrity woman three years his senior, whom he had met during his time with Tokyo Gas. Their actual marriage took place on March 14 of that year, coincidentally exactly six years before he was informed of his trade from the Hanshin Tigers to the Seibu Lions.

His younger brother, Hiroki Enokida, two years his junior, is also a left-handed pitcher who played for Nihon Bunri University and the Nippon Shinyaku corporate baseball team. Hiroki excelled, winning the MVP award at the 2016 JABA Tokyo Spoponi Tournament with two consecutive shutout victories as the team's ace. He also bravely battled Crohn's disease while continuing his baseball career. Coincidentally, Hiroki also retired from active play after the 2021 season and began focusing on his corporate work.

5.2. Nicknames and Anecdotes

Daiki Enokida is known by the nicknames "Enegori" and "Gori," which were given to him due to his resemblance to Enegori-kun, the image character for JX Energy (ENEOS). His appearance was also compared to characters from Tsunomaru's manga Mon Mon Mon, leading to a collaboration between the manga, the Hanshin Tigers, and Enokida himself in 2016, resulting in the release of collaborative merchandise.

Originally, Enokida was a fan of the Chunichi Dragons, the team from his home region, and admired left-handed pitcher Hitoki Iwase of the Dragons. During his time with Hanshin, Enokida wore the same uniform number, 13, as Iwase. At the 2011 All-Star Game, his then-teammate Kyuji Fujikawa arranged for Enokida to have a catch with Iwase, a moment he cherished.

Due to Keiji Kuroki of EXILE, who was seven years his senior in his high school's hardball baseball club, Enokida consistently used songs by EXILE and EXILE THE SECOND as his walk-up music from the beginning of his career with Hanshin.

6.1. Pitching Statistics by Year

• Bold indicates league leader

6.2. Fielding Statistics by Year

6.3. Notable Records and Achievements

• First Records (Pitching)**
  • First appearance and first hold: April 16, 2011, against the Chunichi Dragons (2nd game), relieved in the 6th inning, 2 innings scoreless.
  • First strikeout: April 16, 2011, against Joel Guzman, swinging strikeout in the 6th inning.
  • First win: May 24, 2011, against the Saitama Seibu Lions (2nd game), relieved in the 7th inning, 2 innings scoreless.
  • First save: July 7, 2011, against the Chunichi Dragons (9th game), relieved in the 11th inning, 1 inning 1 earned run allowed.
  • First start: April 4, 2013, against the Chunichi Dragons (3rd game), 8 innings 1 earned run (0 earned runs), loss.
  • First win as a starter: April 11, 2013, against the Yomiuri Giants (3rd game), 7 2/3 innings scoreless.
• First Records (Batting)**
  • First hit: April 25, 2013, against the Chunichi Dragons (6th game), center-field hit off Shinji Iwata in the 5th inning.
• Other Records**
  • All-Star Game appearances: 1 (2011)

6.4. Uniform Numbers

• 13 (2011 - March 15, 2018)
• 30 (March 16, 2018 - 2021)
• 85 (2024 - )

6.5. Walk-up Songs

• "FIREWORKS" by EXILE (2011 - 2012)
• "24karats -type EX-" by EXILE (2013, pitching appearances)
• "Otoko wa Kimochi wo Tsutaetai" by ET-KING (2013, batting appearances)
• "HEAD BANGIN' " by EXILE THE SECOND (2014 - 2016)
• "SUPER FLY" by EXILE THE SECOND (2017 - 2018)
• "Hino Noboru Hikari ni ~Pray for Now~" by EXILE THE SECOND (2019)