1. Overview
Katsuki Azuma (東 克樹Azuma KatsukiJapanese, born November 29, 1995) is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He is a left-handed pitcher and left-handed batter. His career is marked by a rapid ascent to prominence, earning the Rookie of the Year Award in 2018, followed by significant challenges including Tommy John surgery, and a remarkable comeback in 2023, when he secured both the Most Wins and Best Winning Percentage titles. Azuma has also been recognized for his defensive prowess, receiving the Golden Glove Award in 2023. His journey reflects resilience and a continuous adaptation of his playing style to achieve high-level performance.
2. Early life and amateur career
Katsuki Azuma's baseball journey began in his early childhood, progressing through various amateur levels before his professional debut.
2.1. Childhood and high school
Azuma started playing baseball at the age of six in the first grade of Yokkaichi Municipal Miekita Elementary School, joining the "Mie Club Baseball Youth Team". During his time at Yokkaichi Municipal Oike Junior High School, he played for the "Yokkaichi Top Ace Boys". He also gained international experience as a member of the "JUNIOR ALL JAPAN (NOMO Japan)" team, which was supervised by Hideo Nomo, participating in an expedition to the United States.
For high school, Azuma attended Aikodai Meiden High School in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. In the summer of his first year, he started two games in the National High School Baseball Championship Aichi Tournament. Although his team reached the Koshien tournaments in both the spring and summer of his second year, he did not get an opportunity to pitch in either tournament because Tatsuro Hamada, a senior left-handed pitcher, was the team's ace. Azuma took over as the ace in the fall of his second year. In the summer of his third year, he again participated in the National High School Baseball Championship main tournament. He made his first appearance on the mound at Hanshin Koshien Stadium as a starting pitcher against Seikogakuin High School, where he pitched effectively for five innings, allowing only two hits, but ultimately suffered a loss.
2.2. University career
Azuma enrolled in the Department of Psychology within the Faculty of Letters at Ritsumeikan University. He joined the university's hardball baseball club and began pitching in the Kansai Big Six League as a relief pitcher from the fall of his first year. In his second year, he experienced left elbow pain, which led him to skip the autumn league to focus on treatment and strengthening his lower body.
In his third year, Azuma inherited the role of ace pitcher from senior Tomoki Sakurai. During the spring league season, he achieved a no-hitter against Kyoto University and was recognized with the league's MVP, Best Pitcher, and Best Nine awards, leading his team to three consecutive league championships. He also participated in the All-Japan University Baseball Championship. In the spring league of his fourth year, Azuma achieved another no-hitter against Kansai University. This marked the first time in the history of the Kansai Big Six League that a pitcher had accomplished multiple no-hitters.
Throughout his university career, Azuma appeared in 41 league games, accumulating 231.2 innings pitched, 19 wins, 9 losses, a 1.05 ERA, and 235 strikeouts. In 2017, his fourth year, he was selected to represent Japan in both the 41st US-Japan Collegiate Baseball Championship and the 29th Summer Universiade baseball competition. In the US-Japan Collegiate Baseball Championship, he started two games, pitching a total of 11 scoreless innings, which earned him the Best Pitcher award. At the Universiade, he started against Mexico in the preliminary round and against South Korea in the semifinals, dominating both games with eight scoreless innings each, contributing significantly to his team's championship victory.
On October 26, 2017, Azuma was the sole first-round pick by the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in the 2017 NPB Draft, a rare occurrence as he was the only single first-round selection among all 12 NPB teams that year. He signed with the team for an estimated 100.00 M JPY signing bonus and an estimated 15.00 M JPY annual salary. His uniform number was set as 11. His scout was Miki Hachiuma.
3. Professional career
Katsuki Azuma's professional career began in 2018 with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars, marked by impressive early success, struggles with injuries, and a triumphant return to form.
In 2018, Azuma spent his spring training with the first team, envisioned as a left-handed starter following established pitchers like Kenta Ishida, Shota Imanaga, and Haruhiro Hamaguchi. He pitched effectively in open-season games, completing three appearances without allowing a single run, which secured his spot in the regular season rotation. On April 5, he made his official professional debut as a starting pitcher against the Hanshin Tigers at Yokohama Stadium. Despite pitching seven innings and allowing only one run with nine strikeouts, he took the loss. He secured his first professional win on April 12 against the Yomiuri Giants at Tokyo Dome. His strong performance against the Giants continued; on April 19, he recorded his second win against them at Yokohama Stadium. This marked the first time in DeNA's franchise history, including its predecessor teams, that a rookie left-handed pitcher had achieved two wins in their first two starts against the Giants. On May 16, he notched his third win of the season and his first career shutout against the Hanshin Tigers at Hanshin Koshien Stadium, becoming the first rookie pitcher across all 12 NPB teams to record a shutout that year. Azuma remained a fixture in the first team's starting rotation, leading the team with six wins by the end of June. He was the sole rookie selected for the 2018 NPB All-Star Game, chosen as a manager's recommendation for the Central League. His dominance over the Giants was particularly notable; he won all five of his starts against them from his first professional win until September 19 at Tokyo Dome, where he secured his 11th win of the season. This achievement was a Central League first: a rookie pitcher from a Central League team recording five consecutive wins in their first five official games against the Giants. In the September 19 game, he held the Giants hitless until Casey McGehee hit a solo home run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Although he pitched seven scoreless innings in his final regular season game against the Giants on September 28 at Tokyo Dome, the team ultimately suffered a walk-off loss. For the entire regular season, Azuma made 24 appearances in first-team games, being the only rookie pitcher to reach the league's designated innings pitched. He finished with a 2.45 ERA, ranking second in the league (and first among left-handed pitchers), and a team-high 11 wins against five losses. This marked the first time in 60 years that a rookie left-handed pitcher for DeNA had concluded the regular season with 11 wins in the first team, a feat previously achieved by Takashi Suzuki in 1958 during the Taiyo Whales era. Based on his outstanding performance, he was overwhelmingly selected as the Central League Rookie of the Year, receiving 99% of the votes. Although he had been selected for the 2018 MLB Japan All-Star Series with the Japan national baseball team, he was forced to withdraw after being diagnosed with left elbow inflammation at the conclusion of the season. Following the season, his contract was renewed for an estimated 55.50 M JPY, an increase of 40.50 M JPY.
In 2019, Azuma's left elbow inflammation recurred during his independent training in January, forcing him to adjust his throwing schedule. He spent spring training focusing on rehabilitation with the second team. His first appearance in a first-team game that season came on May 6 against the Giants at Yokohama Stadium, where he delivered the worst performance of his professional career, allowing eight runs in three innings and taking a loss that ended his five-game winning streak against the Giants. On May 15, he secured his first win of the season against the Chunichi Dragons at Yokohama Stadium, pitching six innings and allowing just one run. However, his left elbow condition continued to be a concern, leading him to shuttle between the first and second teams. His season concluded after his August 23 game against the Giants at Tokyo Dome, finishing with four wins and two losses in seven first-team appearances. In the offseason, his contract was renewed for an estimated 44.00 M JPY, a decrease of 11.50 M JPY.
The 2020 season saw Azuma's uniform back name changed to "K.AZUMA" due to the arrival of Junpei Azuma, who shared the same surname pronunciation. He began spring training with the second team as his left elbow pain persisted. On February 8, he was diagnosed with a tear in his left ulnar collateral ligament. He underwent Tommy John surgery on February 20. While a return to play was estimated to take about 1.5 years, the team decided to keep him on the main roster rather than move him to a developmental player contract. He dedicated the entire season to rehabilitation, successfully recovering his left elbow to the point where he could throw at full strength. On December 2, following the season, he renewed his main roster contract for an estimated 33.20 M JPY, a reduction of 10.80 M JPY, which was close to the 25% salary reduction limit stipulated by NPB regulations.
In 2021, Azuma continued his rehabilitation successfully. On July 11, he made his return to actual gameplay in an Eastern League game against the Chiba Lotte Marines, marking his first appearance in 688 days. He posted a 1.95 ERA in the minor league. Towards the end of the season, on September 28, he made his first first-team start in 767 days against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows at Meiji Jingu Stadium. In his third start back, on October 23 against the Chunichi Dragons at Yokohama Stadium, he delivered an impressive performance, pitching eight scoreless innings to earn his first win in 729 days, dating back to the 2019 season. Following the season, his contract was renewed for an estimated 25.10 M JPY, a decrease of 8.10 M JPY.
The 2022 season saw Azuma named the opening day starter on March 25 against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp at Yokohama Stadium. However, he left the game in the sixth inning due to a left finger issue and was tagged with the loss. He continued to struggle with his pitching form, accumulating losses, and was removed from the active roster after his fifth loss on May 15 against the Hanshin Tigers at Yokohama Stadium. After a month of re-adjustment with the second team, where he focused on improving his physical condition and technique, he rejoined the first team. On June 23, he secured his first win of the season against the Yomiuri Giants at Tokyo Dome, pitching six innings and allowing three runs. He showed signs of regaining his form, including an impressive outing on July 7 against the Chunichi Dragons at Yokohama, where he pitched eight scoreless innings, allowing only three hits. However, on July 13, he reported fever symptoms and subsequently tested positive for COVID-19, leading to his removal from the roster again. Ultimately, he finished the year with a record of one win and six losses. On November 24, his contract was renewed for an estimated 26.10 M JPY, an increase of 1.00 M JPY.
In 2023, Azuma successfully secured a spot in the starting rotation from the beginning of the season. In his first start on April 6 against the Giants at Yokohama Stadium, he pitched seven scoreless innings to earn his first win of the year. On April 30, he achieved his second career shutout against the Chunichi Dragons at Vantelin Dome Nagoya, his first since 2018. This "Maddux" was completed with only 97 pitches. This particular shutout contributed to the team's achievement of seven shutouts in a single month, a feat not seen since 1960, and a record 16 wins for April. He recorded his second shutout of the season on June 24 against the Hanshin Tigers at Yokohama Stadium. By the All-Star break, he had accumulated eight wins, leading to his second selection for the All-Star Game, his first in five years. On September 20, he secured his 11th consecutive win against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp at Mazda Zoom-Zoom Stadium Hiroshima, pitching seven innings, allowing four hits and one run. This 11-game winning streak was the second longest in team history since Kazuhiko Endo in 1983 (40 years) and a first for a left-handed pitcher. He also reached 15 wins, a first for a BayStars pitcher since Takeo Kawamura in 1999 (24 years). Azuma extended his winning streak to 12 games, tying Endo's club record. In the final regular season game, he started against the Giants, pitching a complete game duel against Iori Yamasaki, but lost 0-1, which ended his winning streak. He concluded the season having reached the specified innings pitched for the first time in five years since his Rookie of the Year season. He finished with an impressive 16 wins and 3 losses, achieving a winning percentage of .842. He earned both the Most Wins and Best Winning Percentage titles, becoming the first BayStars pitcher to do so since Hiroki Nomura in 1993 (30 years). Notably, all three of his losses that season came against the Giants (he had four wins and three losses against them). On November 10, Azuma received the Golden Glove Award, becoming the first pitcher in the team's history (including the Taiyo and Yokohama eras) to earn this honor. A left-handed pitcher winning the Golden Glove is rare, making him only the fifth such recipient in the Central League and the first since Masanori Ishikawa 15 years prior. He also received the Best Nine Award in the pitcher category. His selection for the Best Nine, despite the Central League MVP pitcher that year being Shoki Murakami, marked the first time a pitcher won Best Nine without also winning MVP since Kazuyuki Yoshimi 12 years prior, and the first time a starting pitcher won Best Nine over the MVP winner since Koji Uehara and Daisuke Matsuzaka 24 years prior.
In 2024, Azuma was named the opening day starter for the second time in his career. He started on March 29 against Hiroshima at Yokohama Stadium, and despite allowing five consecutive hits and three early runs, he pitched seven strong innings, conceding three runs. Although he didn't earn the win, he contributed to the team's first opening day victory in five years. He continued to pitch consistently, extending his streak of consecutive quality starts from the previous year. On May 17, he achieved his fourth consecutive win against Chunichi at Yokohama Stadium, extending his winning streak at Yokohama Stadium to 10 games from the previous year, a club record since Akio Saito in 1989. On June 14, he recorded his first shutout of the season against the Saitama Seibu Lions at Belluna Dome, despite feeling unwell in the bullpen, crediting catcher Yuda Yamamoto for his game calling. This win marked his fifth consecutive win from opening day, setting a new club record for opening day starters. He extended his opening day winning streak to six games on June 22 against Hanshin at Koshien, a feat not seen since Kazuo Fukumori in 1999 (25 years), and the first time in team history that a pitcher had won all six starts from opening day. On August 28, he earned his 11th win against Hanshin. Following postponements due to Typhoon No. 10, he secured another victory against Hiroshima on September 3, pitching on short rest (five days), marking the first time in 41 years for the same pitcher to achieve two consecutive starts with a win (since Kazuhiko Endo in 1983). This win also extended his consecutive quality start streak to 32 games. His impressive streak of 32 consecutive quality starts concluded on September 10 against Hanshin, where he suffered his third loss of the season after allowing five runs in 5.2 innings. With his regular catcher, Yuda Yamamoto, sidelined due to a fractured bone from a hit-by-pitch on September 15, Azuma formed a battery with Hikaru Ito for the first time in approximately two years on September 16, securing his 13th win. On October 12, he was given the start for Game 1 of the 2024 Central League Climax Series First Stage against Hanshin. However, he sustained a left leg injury while running the bases in the fourth inning. Despite completing the inning with three quick outs, he was replaced after four scoreless innings and 50 pitches due to discomfort in his left hamstring. He was removed from the active roster the following day, preventing him from pitching in the Final Stage. On October 16, he was diagnosed with a left hamstring strain, but still accompanied the team for practice with a potential Japan Series appearance in mind. After the team won the Climax Series, Azuma joined his teammates in the celebratory beer shower. He was included in the 40-man roster for the 2024 Japan Series against the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. In Game 3 on October 29, with Yamamoto and Ito injured, he formed a battery with Takayoshi Tobashira for the first time that year. Despite his hamstring not being fully healed, Azuma pitched seven innings, allowing only one run on ten hits with four strikeouts over 105 pitches, and contributed to the team's first victory in the series. The BayStars went on to win four consecutive games, securing their first Japan Series championship in 26 years.
4. Playing style
Katsuki Azuma is a left-handed pitcher, notable for his relatively small stature at 67 in (170 cm). Despite his height, he commands a powerful fastball (straight) with a maximum velocity of 94 mph (152 km/h) during his amateur career and 94 mph (151 km/h) as a professional. His pitching repertoire includes a straight fastball, Changeup, slider, cut fastball, two-seam, and curve. His changeup is particularly highly regarded for its effectiveness.
Azuma's distinctive pitching mechanics involve leaning his upper body slightly backward towards third base during his delivery, which allows him to achieve a high release point. This motion enables him to throw pitches with a sharp angle, effectively locating them in the corners of the strike zone. He has cited fellow left-handed pitchers Masanori Ishikawa and Kazuto Taguchi as inspirations for his pitching style.
In 2023, after struggling in a spring training practice game, Azuma made a significant adjustment to his pitching form. He lowered his release point angle, transitioning his delivery from an overhand motion to a more three-quarters style. In making these changes, he took inspiration from the body movements of fellow left-handed pitcher Hiroya Miyagi, who employs a sidearm-like delivery. This adjustment, while slightly reducing his fastball velocity to the mid-140s km/h range, dramatically improved his control and enabled him to throw all his pitches with greater force, which played a crucial role in his career resurgence that year.
5. Personal life and background
Katsuki Azuma is known by the nicknames "Hama no Penguin" (Hama's Penguin) and "Hama no Azumax". Although his hometown of Mie Prefecture is predominantly home to fans of the Chunichi Dragons, Azuma himself supported the Yomiuri Giants during his childhood. He particularly admired Yoshinobu Takahashi and often mimicked his batting form. Despite being open to being drafted by any team, he reportedly did not anticipate being the sole first-round pick by the Yokohama DeNA BayStars.
During his time at Ritsumeikan University, Azuma briefly shared a room in the baseball club's dormitory with Yuya Sakamoto, who was two years his junior and later became his teammate with the DeNA BayStars. When Sakamoto joined the professional team in 2020, Azuma, as a senior left-handed pitcher, provided him with advice not only on pitching techniques but also on maintaining mental resilience.
Azuma's academic pursuits at Ritsumeikan University included a graduation thesis on the intriguing topic of "Visual psychological changes in angle and distance from the mound to home plate depending on the stadium." His personal motto is "Fudoshin" (不動心immovable mindJapanese).
His baseball glove, which he has used since joining DeNA, features unique embroideries on the palm: a gold poop emoji (💩) and a white star (☆) mark. These symbols are said to represent "grabbing good fortune and wins," and the design was inspired by a similar one seen on the glove of Ryo Kuribayashi.
Azuma married in 2020, and his wife gave birth to their first child, a daughter. This news was publicly announced in 2021.
6. Controversies
In January 2025, it was reported by the Japanese weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun that Katsuki Azuma was involved in an alleged infidelity with popular AV actress Jun Suehiro during an independent training session in Nagoya. Following the report, Azuma publicly apologized on his Instagram account on January 23, acknowledging the report and stating that he had apologized to his wife and received a scolding from her.
7. Career statistics
7.1. Pitching statistics
| Year | Team | G | GS | CG | SHO | W | L | WPCT | HLD | BB | HBP | SO | ERA | WHIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | DeNA | 24 | 24 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 5 | .688 | 0 | 42 | 2 | 155 | 2.45 | 1.12 |
| 2019 | DeNA | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | .667 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 31 | 3.76 | 1.25 |
| 2021 | DeNA | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .333 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 20 | 2.29 | 0.71 |
| 2022 | DeNA | 12 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | .143 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 41 | 4.62 | 1.52 |
| 2023 | DeNA | 24 | 24 | 4 | 2 | 16 | 3 | .842 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 133 | 1.98 | 0.95 |
| 2024 | DeNA | 26 | 26 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 4 | .765 | 0 | 27 | 6 | 140 | 2.16 | 1.05 |
| Career: 6 years | 96 | 93 | 7 | 5 | 46 | 22 | .676 | 0 | 108 | 12 | 520 | 2.49 | 1.08 | |
- Figures as of the end of the 2024 season.
- Bold indicates league-leading total for that season.
7.2. Postseason pitching statistics
| Year | Team | Series | G | GS | W | L | SV | HLD | WPCT | Batters Faced | IP | H | HR | BB | IBB | HBP | SO | WP | BK | R | ER | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | DeNA | Climax Series First Stage | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 16 | 4.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Japan Series | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 30 | 7.0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1.29 | ||
| Career: 1 appearance | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 46 | 11.0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1.28 | ||
- Figures as of the end of the 2024 season.
7.3. Fielding statistics
| Year | Team | Pitcher | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | PO | A | E | DP | FPCT | ||
| 2018 | DeNA | 24 | 8 | 24 | 1 | 0 | .970 |
| 2019 | 7 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1.000 | |
| 2021 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | |
| 2022 | 12 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | |
| 2023 | 24 | 11 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 1.000 | |
| 2024 | 26 | 12 | 34 | 1 | 1 | .979 | |
| Career | 96 | 37 | 91 | 2 | 2 | .985 | |
- Figures as of the end of the 2024 season.
- Bold indicates league-leading total for that season.
- Bold year indicates Golden Glove Award winning year.
8. Awards and honors
8.1. Titles
- Most Wins: 1 (2023)
- Best Winning Percentage: 1 (2023)
8.2. Awards
- Rookie of the Year: 1 (2018)
- Best Nine Award (Pitcher): 1 (2023)
- Golden Glove Award (Pitcher): 1 (2023)
- Monthly MVP (Pitcher): 2 (September/October 2023, August 2024)
- Best Battery Award: 1 (2023, with catcher Yuda Yamamoto)
- Japan Pro Sports Grand Prize Best Rookie: 1 (2018)
- JERA Central League Award Annual Grand Prize: 2 (2023, 2024)
9. Records
9.1. Firsts
Azuma's initial career milestones are as follows:
- Pitching records
- First appearance and first start: April 5, 2018, against the Hanshin Tigers in the second game of the season at Yokohama Stadium; pitched 7 innings, allowed 1 run, resulting in a loss.
- First strikeout: Same game, 1st inning, against Shunsuke Takayama (swinging strikeout).
- First win and first start win: April 12, 2018, against the Yomiuri Giants in the third game of the season at Tokyo Dome; pitched 5.1 innings, allowed 3 runs.
- First complete game and first shutout: May 16, 2018, against the Hanshin Tigers in the seventh game of the season at Hanshin Koshien Stadium.
- Batting records
- First at-bat: April 5, 2018, against the Hanshin Tigers in the second game of the season at Yokohama Stadium; 3rd inning, against Randy Messenger (swinging strikeout).
- First hit and first RBI: April 12, 2018, against the Yomiuri Giants in the third game of the season at Tokyo Dome; 1st inning, an RBI single to center field against Kan Otake.
9.2. Other records
- Opening Day Starter: 2 times (2022, 2024)
- All-Star Game appearances: 3 times (2018, 2023, 2024)
- Consecutive Quality Start streak: 32 games
10. International career
Katsuki Azuma has represented the Japanese national baseball team in various international competitions:
- 2017: Member of the Japan National Team for the 41st US-Japan Collegiate Baseball Championship.
- 2017: Member of the Japan National Team for the 29th Summer Universiade Baseball Competition.
11. Uniform number
- 11 (2018 - present)
12. Entrance music
- "Don't Stop Me Now" by Queen (2018-2021)
- "I wanna be my self" by Fuga Miura (2022-present)