1. Overview
Hisanori Yasuda (安田 尚憲Yasuda HisanoriJapanese), born on April 15, 1999, and affectionately known by his nickname "Yassan", is a Japanese professional baseball player who plays as an infielder for the Chiba Lotte Marines of NPB. A highly touted prospect from Osaka Prefecture, Yasuda began his journey in baseball at a young age, showcasing exceptional talent throughout his amateur career, culminating in a significant 2017 draft where he was a first-round pick. Since joining the Marines in 2018, he has developed into a prominent player, often holding key batting positions and contributing significantly to the team's offense and defense, despite facing periods of adjustment and injury. This article details his progression from youth baseball to his professional career, highlights his playing style, covers aspects of his personal life, and outlines his notable records and achievements.
2. Early Life and Amateur Career
Hisanori Yasuda's path in baseball began early, influenced by his family, and he rapidly distinguished himself through his skills and determination during his formative years in youth and high school baseball.
2.1. Childhood and Youth Baseball
Yasuda started playing baseball at the age of six, inspired by his older brother, Ryota. During his elementary school years, he played for the Toyotsu Higashi Youth Baseball Team, a soft-ball team. His talent was recognized when he was selected to play for the Hanshin Tigers Junior team during his sixth grade. Upon entering Toyotsu Junior High School in Suita, Osaka, he joined the Red Star Baseball Club, a hard-ball team owned by former professional baseball player Norihiro Akahoshi.
2.2. High School Career
Yasuda attended Riseisha High School in Osaka, where he quickly became a central figure in their baseball team. In his first year, during the autumn season, he secured a spot as the fifth batter and third baseman, establishing himself as a key hitter. By his second year's spring season, he was batting cleanup as the fourth batter. In the summer of that same year, his performance in the Osaka tournament was remarkable, with 13 hits in 25 at-bats, 2 home runs, and 15 RBI, which helped his team qualify for the 98th National High School Baseball Championship (Koshien Tournament). During the Koshien Tournament, he recorded 4 hits in 12 at-bats before his team was eliminated in the third round. Later that year, he contributed to Riseisha's championship win at the 71st National Sports Festival in Iwate, notably hitting a home run in the final game against Hiroshima Shinjo High School.
Following the departure of senior players like Terashima Naruki, Yasuda took on a new role as the third batter and third baseman in the new team. He excelled in the autumn tournament, achieving 21 hits in 50 at-bats, 4 home runs, and 22 RBI, leading his team to win the Kinki Tournament. He further led the team to victory in the Meiji Jingu Tournament after the National Sports Festival. In the spring of his third year, at the 89th National High School Baseball Championship (Sensai Tournament), he recorded 7 hits in 17 at-bats, leading his team to a runner-up finish. He hit his first Koshien home run in the semi-final game against Hotoku Gakuen High School. Although his team was defeated by Osaka Toin High School in the semi-finals of the summer Osaka tournament, preventing another Koshien appearance, Yasuda's individual statistics were exceptional, with 12 hits in 19 at-bats, 3 home runs, 13 RBI, a .759 on-base percentage, a 1.316 slugging percentage, and a 2.075 OPS. He was selected as a member of the Japanese national team for the 28th 2017 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup, where he started as the third batter in all nine games, recording 11 hits in 34 at-bats and 5 RBI. A highlight of his international performance was hitting a walk-off single in the bottom of the 11th inning against Australia in the Super Round. Throughout his high school career, he amassed a total of 65 home runs. Yasuda was frequently compared to his contemporary, Kotaro Kiyomiya, and they were often referred to as "Kiyomiya of the East, Yasuda of the West." His high school classmate was Yu Takeda.
2.3. Professional Draft
On October 26, 2017, during the 2017 NPB Draft, Hisanori Yasuda was a highly sought-after prospect. After missing out on Kotaro Kiyomiya in the lottery, three teams-the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, Chiba Lotte Marines, and Hanshin Tigers-selected Yasuda as their first-round pick. Following a drawing, the Chiba Lotte Marines secured the negotiation rights for Yasuda. He provisionally signed a contract with the Marines on November 25, which included a signing bonus of 100.00 M JPY and an estimated annual salary of 12.40 M JPY. He was assigned the uniform number 5.
3. Professional Career
Hisanori Yasuda's professional career with the Chiba Lotte Marines began in 2018, marking his entry into the highly competitive world of Nippon Professional Baseball. His journey has been characterized by consistent development, significant milestones, and the ongoing pursuit of excellence as a core player for the team.
3.1. Chiba Lotte Marines (2018-present)
Hisanori Yasuda's tenure with the Chiba Lotte Marines has seen him transition from a promising rookie to a key player, demonstrating continuous growth and adaptability across several seasons.
3.1.1. 2018 Season
Yasuda received high praise during spring training in 2018. The Ishigaki Island camp that year was a joint camp for the first and second teams, and he initially joined the first team for the early stages of the open games. However, he was sent down to the second team on March 17 to gain more playing time, where he began the season. On March 23, he hit his first official game home run against Yuma Ohshita of the Tokyo Yakult Swallows in an Eastern League game. In July, he showcased strong performance in the minor league, batting .354 with 16 RBI, earning him the Farm Monthly MVP award. His consistent results led to his first call-up to the first team on August 10. He made his first team debut on the same day against the Orix Buffaloes at Kyocera Dome Osaka, starting as the seventh batter and designated hitter. On August 12, in a game against the Buffaloes, he recorded his first professional hit and RBI with a two-run single to right field against Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the ninth inning, temporarily tying the game. On September 24, starting as the sixth batter and third baseman-his first start not as a designated hitter-he had a standout performance against the Buffaloes at Kyocera Dome, hitting his first professional double and driving in four runs. This marked the first time in 62 years that a high school rookie for the Marines recorded four or more RBI in a single game, a feat last achieved by Yutaka Sudo on September 30, 1956. On October 2, in his 13th game and 45th at-bat, he hit his first professional home run against Naosho Higashihama of the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks at Fukuoka Dome. This was the eighth time a high school rookie for the Marines hit a home run, and the first since Hirokazu Hayashi in 1990. Furthermore, Yasuda, Munetaka Murakami of the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, and Kotaro Kiyomiya of the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters all hit home runs as high school rookies that year, marking the first time three high school rookies achieved this feat in 51 years since 1967. To preserve his rookie eligibility for the following season's Rookie of the Year award, he was removed from the active roster on October 6 after reaching 60 plate appearances against the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. He finished his rookie year with a .151 batting average, 1 home run, and 7 RBI in the first team. In the second team, he ended the season with a .271 batting average, 12 home runs, and 67 RBI. Yasuda was also selected for the 2nd 2018 WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup, where he performed exceptionally, batting .393 with 1 home run and 8 RBI, earning him the tournament MVP and a spot as the first baseman on the Best Nine team.
3.1.2. 2019 Season
In 2019, Yasuda spent the entire season in the second team. He posted a .258 batting average, hit 19 home runs, and recorded 82 RBI, leading the league in both home runs and RBI, effectively becoming a "Farm two-crown" winner. He also led the league with 116 hits, although these were not officially recognized titles. Despite his impressive performance in the minors, he did not make any appearances for the first team that season. In the off-season, he was dispatched to the Criollos de Caguas in the Puerto Rico Winter League for approximately one month, alongside teammates Hiroaki Oka and Daiki Yamamoto, to further develop his skills.
3.1.3. 2020 Season
The 2020 season marked a significant milestone for Yasuda as he made the opening day first team roster for the first time in his career. On July 7, he hit his first home run at ZOZO Marine Stadium, the Marines' home ground, against the Saitama Seibu Lions. Despite this, his batting average remained low, hovering around .100. However, due to the slump of Brandon Laird, manager Tadahito Iguchi decided to give Yasuda a significant opportunity, appointing him as the fourth batter for the first time in his professional career on July 21 against the Seibu Lions. Iguchi cited Yasuda's ability to "bat properly in clutch situations" as the reason. Yasuda responded by hitting multiple hits in that game and continued to bat fourth for an impressive 86 consecutive games thereafter. On July 31, he recorded his first professional three-hit game against Takahiro Norimoto of the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles at ZOZO Marine Stadium. On September 29, he hit his first professional triple against Naoyuki Uwasawa of the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters at Sapporo Dome. Although manager Iguchi had stated he would not replace Yasuda at fourth base unless he was in a severe slump, Yasuda was removed from the cleanup spot on October 31 against the Rakuten Eagles, ending his 86-game streak, due to a slump of 2 hits in 20 at-bats and 9 strikeouts in the preceding five games. He subsequently played primarily as the seventh or ninth batter. He ultimately played in 113 games and reached qualified at-bats for the first time in his career, finishing the season with a .221 batting average, 6 home runs, and 54 RBI. In the 2020 Pacific League Climax Series, he hit a go-ahead two-run home run against Kodai Senga in Game 1, marking his first postseason home run. At 21 years and 6 months, this made him the second youngest player to hit a home home run in the Climax Series (behind Ryosuke Hirata in 2008) and the youngest in the Pacific League. In Game 2, he recorded a multi-hit game, including a go-ahead hit. Despite his strong individual performances, the Marines lost both games. His multi-hit game in the Climax Series at 21 years and 6 months was the third youngest, behind Kyota Fujiwara (20 years, 6 months) and Tsuyoshi Nishioka (21 years, 2 months). On December 10, his contract was renewed, with his estimated annual salary increasing by 9.00 M JPY to 22.00 M JPY.
3.1.4. 2021 Season
Yasuda began the 2021 season as the fourth batter and third baseman in the Opening Day game against the SoftBank Hawks at Fukuoka PayPay Dome on March 26. At 21 years and 11 months, he became the youngest player in team history to bat cleanup on Opening Day, surpassing the record set by Michiyo Arito (23 years, 3 months) in 1970. He struggled in March, recording a mere .059 batting average across five games. However, his performance significantly improved in April, where his batting average with runners in scoring position exceeded .300, and he accumulated 28 RBI for the month, briefly leading the league in RBI. On May 14, in his 39th game and 164th plate appearance, he hit his sixth home run, matching his career-high from the previous year. He continued to bat cleanup for 48 consecutive games from the start of the season, contributing 33 RBI. However, his batting average declined to .216, leading to his first removal from the starting lineup on May 27. Following the interruption for the Tokyo Olympics, Yasuda showed a resurgence in August with a monthly batting average of .393, but his performance dipped again in September. He concluded the season with a .242 batting average, 8 home runs, and 55 RBI. On December 10, his contract was renewed, with an estimated annual salary increase of 8.00 M JPY to 30.00 M JPY.
3.1.5. 2022 Season
The 2022 season started with a setback for Yasuda as he contracted COVID-19 on January 16, causing him to be slightly delayed in joining spring training. This impact contributed to his inability to perform well during the open games, leading him to lose the starting third base position to competitors such as Taiga Hirasawa, Yudai Fujioka, and Mitsuteru Fukuda, resulting in him starting the season with the second team. After being promoted to the first team, he became the regular third baseman from May. However, he struggled with his batting, hitting only two home runs by June 1, both coming in a single game against the Yakult Swallows at Meiji Jingu Stadium. Despite his offensive struggles, he gradually regained his form in the latter half of the season. In August, he showed significant improvement, batting .320 with four home runs and a .948 OPS. Although his form briefly declined in mid-September, he managed to fully recover from his first-half slump, concluding the season with a .263 batting average, 9 home runs, and 45 RBI. He narrowly missed reaching qualified at-bats for the season. On November 28, his contract was renewed, with his estimated annual salary increasing by 12.00 M JPY to 42.00 M JPY.
3.1.6. 2023 Season
Yasuda began the 2023 season as the sixth batter and third baseman in the Opening Day game against the SoftBank Hawks at Fukuoka PayPay Dome on March 31. On May 24, in a game against the Seibu Lions at ZOZO Marine Stadium, he hit two 3-run home runs in consecutive at-bats off Tatsuya Imai, achieving a new personal best of 6 RBI in a single game. On June 24, in a game against the Nippon-Ham Fighters at ZOZO Marine Stadium, he hit his first career walk-off sacrifice fly against Naoki Miyanishi in the ninth inning, with the score tied 4-4 with one out and runners on second and third. On July 6, in a game against the Seibu Lions at Tokyo Dome, he hit his first career walk-off single against Ken Sasaki in the 10th inning of a tied game (6-6) with two outs and runners on second and third. He continued his clutch hitting on July 23 against the SoftBank Hawks at ZOZO Marine Stadium, hitting another walk-off single off Yuki Tsumori in the 10th inning with two outs and the bases loaded, marking his third walk-off hit of the season. He also notably hit a walk-off double in Game 3 of the 2023 Pacific League Climax Series against the SoftBank Hawks at ZOZO Marine Stadium. Despite these dramatic moments, he struggled with his batting average, which fell below .200 for two consecutive months in August and September. Nevertheless, he reached qualified at-bats for the first time in three years, playing a career-high 122 games and finishing the season with a .238 batting average, 9 home runs, and 43 RBI. On November 21, his contract was renewed, with an estimated annual salary increase of 13.00 M JPY to 55.00 M JPY.
3.1.7. 2024 Season
Yasuda started the 2024 season in the Opening Day game against the Nippon-Ham Fighters on March 29. However, he was removed from the roster on April 2 due to lower back pain. He was reinstated on April 27. In May, he showed strong form, batting .313 for the month, and notably hitting a go-ahead two-run double against Yoshihisa Hirano of the Orix Buffaloes on May 1. His batting average, however, plummeted to .071 in June, leading to his second demotion to the second team on June 10. He was reinstated again on July 4, only to be demoted on August 2. He was then reinstated for the third time on August 30. Yasuda concluded the season playing in 55 games with a .228 batting average and 15 RBI, marking his first season with fewer than 100 games played since 2019. Despite not hitting any home runs in the regular season, he hit his first home run of the year in Game 2 of the Climax Series First Stage against the Nippon-Ham Fighters. On November 20, his contract was renewed, with an estimated annual salary decrease of 10.00 M JPY to 45.00 M JPY, marking the first salary reduction of his seven-year professional career.
4. Player Profile
Hisanori Yasuda possesses distinct characteristics as a baseball player, particularly in his batting and fielding, areas where he has continuously refined his skills throughout his career.
4.1. Batting Style
Yasuda is known for his liner-driven hits, with a tendency for his batted balls to carry to center and left field. A key strength in his batting is his fast swing speed and his ability to hit the ball by letting it travel deep towards his body. He has publicly stated that his goal is to become a player like the legendary Hideki Matsui. In June 2020, he made a notable adjustment to his batting stance, transitioning from an open stance to a square stance. This change was influenced by advice from his teammate, Leonys Martin.
4.2. Fielding
In the early stages of his professional career, Yasuda himself admitted that he "lacked confidence" in his fielding skills, indicating that he was not considered a particularly strong defender. However, under the guidance and instruction of coaches such as Yusuke Torigoe and Hiroshi Moriwaki, his defensive stability has seen significant improvement. This progress is reflected in his fielding metrics, which have shown consistent year-on-year improvement, solidifying his presence at third base.
5. Personal Life
Beyond his professional baseball career, Hisanori Yasuda's personal life includes close family ties and a variety of hobbies that reveal his interests outside of the sport. His individual nickname is "Yasu", and along with teammates Kyota Fujiwara and Taiga Hirasawa, he is also collectively known as "Heian Fujiwara" (平安藤原), a play on words combining their names with the Fujiwara clan of the Heian period.
5.1. Family and Background
Hisanori Yasuda has an older brother, Ryota, who is 12 years his senior, and an older sister. His brother, Ryota, also pursued a baseball career, playing as a catcher for PL Gakuen Junior and Senior High School and Meiji University Baseball Club before joining the industrial league team Mitsubishi Heavy Industries East Baseball Club (formerly Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nagoya Baseball Club). In 2018, Ryota played a key role as the regular catcher, contributing to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nagoya's victory in the 44th Japan Industrial Baseball Championship. He retired from playing in 2022 and now serves as a coach for the same team. Yasuda's father, Isao, is a former middle school teacher who has been the director of the track and field club at Osaka Kun'ei Jogakuin High School since 2007. His mother also has a strong athletic background, having won the Kinki Inter-High javelin throw competition during her high school years and participated in the National Sports Festival. On September 11, 2023, Yasuda announced his marriage to a non-public figure.
5.2. Hobbies and Interests
Yasuda's personal interests extend beyond baseball. His favorite musical artist is Mr. Children, whose songs he has frequently used as his walk-up music throughout his career. He also enjoys watching live broadcasts of various sports, including the NFL and MLB. From first grade, he took swimming lessons for approximately five years, influenced by his older brother and sister who were also swimming. He maintains confidence in his swimming speed from this experience. During the period of restricted activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, he began playing Shogi (Japanese chess). His engagement with shogi led him to participate in the "Pro Baseball Strongest Shogi King Tournament," an event organized by Sports Nippon Newspaper and Dwango. In 2022, in his third participation, he won the Shogi King Tournament for the first time. Yasuda has also publicly acknowledged being a listener of the popular radio program "Audrey's All Night Nippon" broadcast by Nippon Broadcasting System.
6. International Career
Hisanori Yasuda has represented Japan in significant international baseball tournaments:
- 2017 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup
- 2018 WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup
7. Records and Achievements
Hisanori Yasuda has compiled several notable records and achievements throughout his professional career, marking significant milestones and demonstrating his impact on the field.
7.1. First Records
- First appearance and first start: August 10, 2018, against the Orix Buffaloes (18th game) at Kyocera Dome Osaka, starting as the 7th batter and designated hitter.
- First at-bat: Same game, a swing and a miss for a strikeout against Yuki Nishi in the 2nd inning.
- First hit and first RBI: August 12, 2018, against the Orix Buffaloes (20th game) at Kyocera Dome Osaka, a 2-run RBI single to right field off Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the 9th inning.
- First home run: October 2, 2018, against the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks (22nd game) at Fukuoka Dome, a solo home run to right field off Naosho Higashihama in the 2nd inning.
- First stolen base: September 1, 2020, against the Saitama Seibu Lions (12th game) at ZOZO Marine Stadium, stealing second base in the 7th inning (pitcher: Kona Takahashi, catcher: Tomoya Mori).
- First triple: September 29, 2020, against the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters at Sapporo Dome.
- First walk-off sacrifice fly: June 24, 2023, against the Nippon-Ham Fighters at ZOZO Marine Stadium.
- First walk-off hit: July 6, 2023, against the Seibu Lions at Tokyo Dome.
7.2. Other Records
- Selected for the All-Star Game once (2023).
- Youngest Pacific League player to hit a home run in the Climax Series (21 years, 6 months in 2020).
- Three walk-off hits in a single season (2023), including a walk-off double in the Climax Series.
- Set a new personal high of 6 RBI in a single game (May 24, 2023).
8. Uniform Number
Throughout his professional career with the Chiba Lotte Marines, Hisanori Yasuda has worn the uniform number 5 since his debut in 2018.
9. Walk-up Music
Hisanori Yasuda has chosen songs by his favorite artist, Mr. Children, as his walk-up music when coming to bat:
- "Footsteps ~Be Strong" by Mr. Children (2018-2022)
- "Worlds end" by Mr. Children (2023-present)
10. Media Appearances
Beyond his on-field performance, Hisanori Yasuda has engaged in various media activities:
- He participated in the "Pro Baseball x Shogi Special: Pro Baseball Strongest Shogi King Tournament," which was streamed on Niconico Live on December 20, 2020, and later made available on YouTube in two parts in February 2021. He went on to win the tournament in his third appearance in 2022.
11. Career Statistics
Detailed statistical data for Hisanori Yasuda's professional career are presented below, including his yearly batting and fielding performance.
11.1. Batting Statistics
| Year | Team | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | TB | RBI | SB | CS | SH | SF | BB | IBB | HBP | SO | GDP | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Chiba Lotte | 17 | 60 | 53 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | .151 | .250 | .264 | .514 |
| 2019 | No first team appearances | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020 | 113 | 460 | 393 | 32 | 87 | 19 | 1 | 6 | 126 | 54 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 62 | 1 | 1 | 106 | 10 | .221 | .326 | .321 | .647 | |
| 2021 | 115 | 399 | 351 | 27 | 85 | 16 | 1 | 8 | 127 | 55 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 43 | 0 | 1 | 82 | 5 | .242 | .323 | .362 | .685 | |
| 2022 | 119 | 440 | 388 | 33 | 102 | 23 | 1 | 9 | 154 | 47 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 45 | 0 | 4 | 86 | 10 | .263 | .343 | .397 | .740 | |
| 2023 | 122 | 472 | 416 | 33 | 99 | 24 | 0 | 9 | 150 | 43 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 49 | 2 | 2 | 95 | 10 | .238 | .318 | .361 | .678 | |
| 2024 | 55 | 174 | 158 | 14 | 36 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 49 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 4 | .228 | .282 | .310 | .592 | |
| Career Total (6 years) | 541 | 2005 | 1759 | 142 | 417 | 98 | 3 | 33 | 620 | 221 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 19 | 219 | 3 | 8 | 437 | 39 | .237 | .321 | .352 | .674 | |
- Statistics current as of the end of the 2024 NPB season.
11.2. Fielding Statistics
| Year | Team | First Base | Third Base | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | PO | A | E | DP | FPCT | G | PO | A | E | DP | FPCT | ||
| 2018 | Chiba Lotte | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .800 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 2020 | 5 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 97 | 68 | 136 | 5 | 13 | .976 | |
| 2021 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 92 | 53 | 113 | 8 | 7 | .954 | |
| 2022 | 5 | 30 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1.000 | 115 | 68 | 184 | 6 | 18 | .977 | |
| 2023 | 14 | 125 | 8 | 2 | 8 | .985 | 106 | 66 | 156 | 8 | 17 | .965 | |
| 2024 | 28 | 196 | 14 | 2 | 20 | .991 | 31 | 10 | 36 | 0 | 6 | 1.000 | |
| Career Total | 55 | 374 | 24 | 5 | 30 | .987 | 447 | 267 | 631 | 27 | 61 | .970 | |
- Statistics current as of the end of the 2024 NPB season. Bold indicates league leader in that season.