Hiroto Saiki

2.1. Childhood and Junior High Baseball

Saiki started playing baseball as a first-grader, initially taking on the role of catcher for the Edajima Powers team. During his time at Ozone Junior High School, he played for the soft baseball club. In the autumn of his second year, he transitioned from catcher to pitcher. Despite not being scouted by prestigious baseball schools, Saiki demonstrated his talent by helping his team secure championships and runner-up titles in local tournaments within his hometown. During his third year of junior high, he received coaching from Atsushi Nomi, who praised his clean pitching form and encouraged him, telling him to "show them later" when Saiki expressed disappointment about not being invited to private high schools and opting for a public one instead. Saiki ultimately enrolled in Kobe Municipal Suma Shofu High School, his older brother's alma mater, through a recommendation.

2.2. High School Career and Draft

At Suma Shofu High School, Hiroto Saiki quickly established himself as a prominent figure, earning a spot on the bench in his first year, despite strong contemporary pitchers in Kobe City. By his second year's spring, he had become the team's ace pitcher, leading them to the semifinals of the Hyōgo Prefectural Tournament. Although his team never advanced to the national tournaments like Spring Koshien or Summer Koshien, his powerful fastball, which reached speeds of up to 92 mph ^{(148 km/h)}, drew considerable attention. He was widely recognized as a "public school star," attracting scouts from both NPB teams and even MLB organizations, with 12 teams and 25 scouts reportedly observing his performances. Beyond his athletic achievements, Saiki also demonstrated leadership by serving as class president.

On October 20, 2016, Saiki was selected by his local team, the Hanshin Tigers, in the third round of the 2016 NPB draft. He signed an initial contract with a signing bonus of 50.00 M JPY and an estimated annual salary of 6.00 M JPY. He was assigned the jersey number 35. Following his draft, Saiki publicly expressed his ambition to follow in the footsteps of his teammate Shintaro Fujinami, known for his high-velocity pitches, stating his goal to "someday surpass Fujinami."

3.1. Early Years (2017-2019)

In his rookie year in 2017, Saiki made his professional debut in the Western League on April 27 against the Orix Buffaloes at Hanshin Naruo Hama Stadium. He gained practical experience over 14 appearances, accumulating a 1-5 record with a 4.88 ERA. Towards the end of the regular season, on October 5, he made his first-team debut as a relief pitcher against the Chunichi Dragons at Hanshin Koshien Stadium. He pitched one scoreless inning, recording his first professional hold. He concluded his first season with two scoreless first-team appearances.

The 2018 season saw Saiki participate in the first-team spring camp in Ginoza, as the youngest player at 19 years old. His impressive performances in practice games and open games suggested he might earn a spot in the opening rotation. However, he started the season with the farm team as a starter. His first first-team appearance of the season came on May 9 as a reliever against the Yomiuri Giants at Tokyo Dome, where he pitched a scoreless inning. On May 20, he made his first first-team start against the Chunichi Dragons at Nagoya Dome, pitching against veteran Daisuke Matsuzaka. Despite pitching five innings, he surrendered 12 hits and five runs, resulting in his first professional loss. However, just a week later, on May 27, in another start against the Giants at Koshien, Saiki pitched six scoreless innings, giving up only two hits and striking out seven, to earn his first professional victory. This was a historic moment for the Hanshin Tigers, as he became the first Hanshin pitcher in his teens to secure his first career win as a starter against the Giants. On June 30, due to an emergency after starter Yuta Iwazaki was ejected for a dangerous pitch, Saiki entered the game against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows at Meiji Jingu Stadium with no outs and two runners on base. He limited the damage to one unearned run and ultimately pitched six innings, earning his second win of the season. Throughout the season, he was utilized in both starting and relief roles, even taking over as a set-up man after Kyuji Fujikawa was sidelined with an injury in late September. He finished the season with 22 appearances, recording six wins, ten losses, and one hold with a 4.61 ERA. Following the season, his contract was renewed for an estimated 15.00 M JPY, a 9.00 M JPY increase from the previous year.

In 2019, Saiki once again joined the first team's spring camp as a starter candidate. However, he struggled to find his form in practice games and was reassigned to the farm team during the open season. He returned to the first team on April 24, where he secured his first win of the season against the Yokohama DeNA BayStars at Yokohama Stadium. He followed this with another victory in his next start, accumulating two consecutive wins. However, on May 12, in his third start of the season against the Chunichi Dragons at Koshien, he struggled, giving up five runs on eight hits in five innings. He was then de-registered from the active roster the following day. On May 19, while pitching in a Western League game against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp at the Yuasa practice field, he experienced discomfort in his right elbow after throwing just six pitches to the leadoff batter, Kaito Kozono, forcing an emergency exit. This injury led to his absence from active play as he dedicated his efforts to treatment and rehabilitation for his right elbow. He concluded the season with only three first-team appearances. His contract was subsequently renewed at an estimated 13.00 M JPY, a 2.00 M JPY decrease from the previous year.

3.2. Injury and Rehabilitation (2020-2021)

The 2020 season was a challenging one for Saiki, as he made no first-team appearances. In November, he underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow's ulnar collateral ligament, along with an arthroscopic synovectomy of the right elbow joint. On December 8, he was re-signed by the Tigers as a development player, a common practice in NPB for players undergoing long-term rehabilitation. His jersey number was changed to 121.

During the 2021 season, Saiki continued his rigorous rehabilitation and did not make any appearances for either the first or second teams. At the end of the season, his contract was renewed at an estimated 7.00 M JPY, reflecting a 2.80 M JPY decrease as he remained in the development phase.

3.3. Return to First Team and Dominant Performance (2022-Present)

The 2022 season marked Hiroto Saiki's triumphant return to the mound after his long rehabilitation. He made his first game appearance in over 1.5 years on February 12 in a practice game against Shikoku Bank. As he continued to pitch in games, his fastball velocity reached 93 mph ^{(150 km/h)} in a farm team game on April 12. After recording a 0-1 record with a 2.95 ERA (third-lowest in the league) in five appearances in the Western League, he was re-registered as a dominant player on May 4, reclaiming his original jersey number 35. On May 26, he pitched his first complete game shutout in an official game of his professional career against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp farm team at Naruo Hama, signaling his full recovery. He was called up to the first team on July 3 and made his first appearance in 1148 days that same day against the Chunichi Dragons at Vantelin Dome Nagoya. Relying on his fastball, which reached 95 mph ^{(153 km/h)}, he delivered a strong performance, pitching five scoreless innings with five hits, no walks, and five strikeouts, earning his first win in 1159 days. During his post-game hero interview, he became emotional, expressing gratitude to those who supported him through his rehabilitation. On July 30, he secured his first home win at Koshien in 1186 days. In the final regular season game on October 2, he pitched three extra innings as the last available pitcher, navigating a precarious situation where the team had exhausted its reserve position players.

The 2023 season saw Saiki continue his strong comeback, making a significant impression on new manager Akinobu Okada with solid performances during spring training and exhibition games. On March 6, in an official exhibition game against the 2023 WBC Japan national team at Kyocera Dome Osaka, he started and pitched four innings. Despite striking out Shohei Ohtani in their first face-off, he later surrendered a three-run home run to Ohtani. This encounter, however, inspired him to refine his forkball. He secured his first win of the season on April 2 against the Yokohama DeNA BayStars, pitching 6.1 innings, giving up one run on four hits while striking out eight. After a brief demotion to the farm team following three consecutive losses, he rejoined the first team on May 21, earning his second win of the season against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp at Koshien. On May 28, against the Yomiuri Giants at Koshien, he delivered an impressive performance, pitching 7.2 innings, allowing just three hits and one run, while striking out ten. This contributed significantly to the team's eight-game winning streak. His performance continued to improve during the Interleague Play. On June 4, he outpitched Roki Sasaki in a complete game shutout against the Chiba Lotte Marines at Koshien, allowing only three hits and striking out twelve in nine scoreless innings-his first complete game shutout of the season. He maintained his form, pitching seven scoreless innings for his fifth win on June 11 against the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters at Escon Field Hokkaido, and five scoreless innings on June 18 against the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks at Koshien. His stellar interleague performance resulted in a 0.00 ERA, making him only the fourth player in NPB history to achieve this feat. However, his performance dipped after the interleague season. On July 27, he gave up a career-high seven runs (three earned) in 4.2 innings against the Yomiuri Giants and was de-registered the next day. He returned after a two-week adjustment, pitching 7.1 innings with two runs on eight hits against the Giants on August 10, earning his sixth win, his first in two months. A subsequent back stiffness led to another de-registration, limiting him to only one appearance in August. He returned in September with strong performances, posting a 0.39 ERA in three starts. On September 14, he played a crucial role in the Hanshin Tigers' league championship-clinching game against the Giants at Koshien, pitching seven innings, allowing three hits and one run, and earning his eighth win. On September 24, he pitched ten scoreless innings with 130 pitches against the Chunichi Dragons at Vantelin Dome but received no run support, resulting in a draw rather than a second complete game shutout. For the season, he made 19 appearances, pitching 118.2 innings with eight wins, five losses, and one hold, achieving an impressive 1.82 ERA, though he fell short of the qualified innings due to multiple de-registrations. He did not pitch in the Climax Series Final Stage as the Tigers swept their opponent. In Game 4 of the 2023 Japan Series against the Orix Buffaloes, he started and contributed to the team's victory with five innings of one-run ball, though the win was credited to Suguru Iwazaki.

In 2024, Saiki maintained a smooth adjustment through spring training and open games, earning a spot in the opening rotation. His first start of the season came on March 31 against the Yomiuri Giants at Tokyo Dome. Despite injuring his finger in the third inning while batting, which affected his control, he persevered, escaping two bases-loaded jams and pitching six scoreless innings. Although he did not get the win, his performance helped secure the team's first victory of the season. On April 14, in his third start, he earned his first win of the season against the Chunichi Dragons at Vantelin Dome, pitching seven innings with four hits and one run. He followed this with his first complete game shutout of the season on April 21 against the Dragons at Koshien, pitching seven scoreless innings in a rain-shortened game. In May, he went 3-0 with a 1.32 ERA in four games, including a nine-inning, four-hit complete game shutout against the Yokohama DeNA BayStars at Yokohama Stadium on May 12, where he protected a single run for the victory. His performance earned him the team's monthly MVP award for May. In Interleague Play, on June 2 against the Chiba Lotte Marines at ZOZO Marine Stadium, he pitched his first career no-walk complete game shutout, allowing only six hits in nine scoreless innings. This pivotal performance simultaneously ended Lotte's 11-game winning streak and Hanshin's 5-game losing streak. His achievement of two 1-0 complete game shutouts in a single season was a rare feat, the first for a Hanshin pitcher in ten years since Randy Messenger in 2014, and the first for a Japanese pitcher in 50 years since Kenji Furusawa in 1974. Achieving two such shutouts on the road had not been done by a Hanshin pitcher in 55 years, since Yutaka Enatsu in 1969. On June 9, against the Saitama Seibu Lions at Koshien, he pitched 8.1 innings, allowing only one hit and no runs, holding the no-hitter until one out in the eighth inning and earning his seventh win. On June 16, he aimed to achieve a 0.00 ERA in Interleague Play for a second consecutive year, a historic first. Though he pitched six scoreless innings, he gave up a solo home run in the seventh inning to Kensuke Kondo, narrowly missing the record. Nevertheless, he pitched seven innings, allowing five hits and one run, striking out nine, and earning his eighth win. He received the Interleague Play Excellent Player Award for his performance. Following the interleague season, Saiki's consistency led to a change in his rotation, moving him to Tuesdays, a day when he would typically face the opposing team's ace. Despite achieving four consecutive "high quality starts" (seven or more innings pitched with two or fewer earned runs) from June 25 to July 16, he did not secure a win due to a lack of run support. He was selected for his first All-Star Game based on fan votes, starting Game 1 and earning the win with two innings pitched, allowing one run. On July 30, he secured his ninth win of the season against the Yomiuri Giants at Koshien, pitching 6.1 innings, allowing three hits and one unearned run, achieving a personal best in wins. In August, he had two challenging starts, giving up four runs in six innings and five runs in five innings. However, on August 20, he bounced back with seven scoreless innings against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows at Kyocera Dome Osaka, securing his tenth win of the season, marking his first time reaching double-digit wins in his professional career. In the second at-bat of that game, he hit his first professional extra-base hit, a double off Kojiro Yoshimura. On September 7, pitching against the Yakult Swallows at Jingu Stadium, he secured his twelfth win with six scoreless innings, and for the first time in his professional career, he reached the league's qualified innings mark. This was also his first victory at Jingu Stadium as a starter. He finished the 2024 season with 25 appearances, recording 13 wins, 3 losses, and a 1.83 ERA. On December 20, he signed a new contract for an estimated 120.00 M JPY, an increase of 70.00 M JPY, and informed the Hanshin Tigers organization of his aspiration to play in Major League Baseball in the future.

6.1. Awards and Honors

• Interleague Play Excellent Player Award (2024)
• Hanshin Tigers DID Award (June 2023)
• 2024 WBSC Premier12: Silver Medal

6.2. Milestone Records

Hiroto Saiki has achieved several notable firsts in his pitching and batting career:

• Pitching Records:**

• Batting Records:**

• Other Records:**

6.3. National Team Career

Hiroto Saiki was selected to represent the Japan national team in the 2024 WBSC Premier12. During the tournament, he contributed to the team's performance, which ultimately earned them a silver medal. Earlier in his career, he also faced Shohei Ohtani in an exhibition game against the 2023 WBC Japan national team, an experience that influenced his pitch development.

7.1. Pitching Statistics

• Statistics as of the end of the 2024 season.
• Bold indicates league leader.

7.2. Fielding Statistics

As a pitcher, Hiroto Saiki's fielding statistics reflect his defensive contributions on the mound.

• Statistics as of the end of the 2024 season.
• Bold indicates league leader.

8.1. Alma Mater

Hiroto Saiki graduated from Kobe Municipal Suma Shofu High School before beginning his professional baseball career.

8.2. Jersey Numbers

Hiroto Saiki's jersey numbers during his professional career have changed due to his contract status:

• 35 (2017-2020, May 4, 2022 - present)
• 121 (2021 - May 3, 2022)

8.3. Entrance Music

Hiroto Saiki has used different walk-up or entrance music during his appearances on the mound:

• "Good Time" by Owl City (2017-2021)
• "Hajimari no Uta" by Ryokuoushoku Shakai (2022 - present)