Ryohei Kawamoto

2.1. Childhood and High School

Kawamoto started playing baseball as a catcher in junior high school, participating in the senior league. He later attended Sotoku High School, where he established himself as a powerful cleanup hitter and catcher. During his high school career, he boasted an impressive batting average of over .400 and hit 25 home runs. Despite his individual prowess, his team was narrowly defeated by the academic-focused Hiro High School in the prefectural tournament, finishing in the best 8, and thus missing the opportunity to compete in the Koshien Tournament. In his final game, Kawamoto batted sixth, a strategic decision that, in hindsight, was seen as contributing to the team's narrow loss.

2.2. University Career

Following high school, Kawamoto enrolled at Asia University, where his versatility was immediately evident. For his first two years, he predominantly played as a first baseman and outfielder due to the presence of an older, established catcher, Yoshio Oyama. In his second year, Kawamoto played a crucial role in Asia University securing consecutive championships in both the spring and autumn university leagues. His strong performance as an infielder also earned him a selection to the Japan-USA University Baseball Championship Series representative team. After Oyama's graduation, Kawamoto transitioned into the team's regular catcher. During his time in the Tohto University Baseball League, he played in 82 games, recording 56 hits from 262 at-bats, with a batting average of .214, 3 home runs, and 19 RBIs. He was also named to the Best Nine once. Despite facing challenges with batting consistency during his university career, his talent was recognized early by the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, who selected him in the fourth round of the 2004 NPB Draft. Although a fourth-round pick, his contract was structured with an estimated signing bonus reaching the upper limit of 1.00 B JPY, effectively treating him as a free-slot equivalent player. He was notably assigned the uniform number 28, immediately following the legendary number 27 worn by Atsuya Furuta, signaling expectations for him to be the "post-Furuta" catcher from the outset of his professional career.

3.1. Tokyo Yakult Swallows

Kawamoto began his professional career with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, joining the team in 2005. As a rookie, he earned a spot in the first team's spring training camp, where he received valuable batting advice from veteran catcher Atsuya Furuta. To accelerate his exposure to the top level, he was briefly registered for the first team on April 19, though he did not make an appearance in a game. In the minor league, he was quickly given playing opportunities and was initially slated to participate in the Fresh All-Star Game as a catcher. However, a left wrist injury forced him to withdraw, and he underwent surgery in August, spending the rest of the season on rehabilitation.

In 2006, still recovering from his injury, Kawamoto started the season with the minor league team. He successfully secured the position of regular catcher, playing in 66 games, the most by a catcher on the team. He posted a batting average of .216 with 2 home runs, showing signs of adapting to the faster pace of professional baseball. On January 23, 2007, he announced his marriage to a non-celebrity woman.

The 2007 season again saw Kawamoto start in the minor league, but his strong performance from the opening of the season led to a quick promotion. Utilizing his notable speed, he also experimented with playing in the outfield. By early July, his impressive minor league statistics, including team-leading performances in batting average, RBIs, home runs, stolen bases, and runs scored, earned him a call-up to the first team. His major league debut and first start occurred on July 7 against the Yomiuri Giants at Meiji Jingu Stadium, where he batted seventh as the catcher. In the fifth inning, he hit his first professional hit and home run-a 3-run home run off Takuya Fukada-and skillfully led the pitching staff to a shutout relay, marking a sensational debut. On July 19, he participated in the Fresh All-Star Game, an opportunity he had missed two years prior, playing as the fifth batter and first baseman. From mid-August, he became a regular starting catcher for the first team, finishing the season with 51 games played, 7 home runs, 6 stolen bases, and 19 RBIs, despite a modest .208 batting average. In the minor league, he recorded a .315 batting average, 6 home runs, and 12 stolen bases.

Kawamoto returned to the first team camp in 2008 for the first time in three years. However, he suffered a left thigh muscle tear on February 8, sidelining him for a month. After recovering and putting up strong numbers in the minor league, he was promoted to the first team on May 29. He maintained a batting average above .300 until mid-June, leading to speculation that he might secure the regular catcher spot. However, defensive errors, particularly in catching, prevented him from fully earning the team's trust, and his batting performance gradually declined. By July and August, he saw more starts from the bench, sharing time with Masakazu Fukukawa, who led the league in stolen base prevention rate. This season marked a decline in the momentum he had built the previous year.

In 2009, the competition for the catcher position intensified with the free agent transfer of Ryoji Aikawa from the Yokohama DeNA BayStars. Kawamoto often served as a backup catcher, frequently warming the bench as the second or third option. However, on August 7, he hit his first career grand slam against the Giants. When Aikawa suffered an oblique muscle injury during the intense Climax Series race, Kawamoto stepped up to fill the void, taking over the catching duties for the remaining games. His contributions were vital to the team's six-game winning streak from October 6 and their qualification for the Climax Series. On October 8, he hit a crucial 3-run home run against the Hanshin Tigers, making a significant impact in the late stages of the season.

Kawamoto continued as a backup catcher for the first team in 2010. On April 3, he hit a pinch-hit, walk-off, go-ahead grand slam off Shun Yamaguchi against the Yokohama DeNA BayStars, a feat not achieved by the Swallows in 40 years. He also hit a go-ahead 3-run home run off Yasunari Takagi in the tenth inning against the Giants on October 8. Despite these impactful moments, his overall season batting average stood at a low .190.

In 2011, Kawamoto served as the second-string catcher behind Aikawa. He frequently started games when the "Four Draft Kings"-young pitchers Tatsuyoshi Masubuchi, Kyohei Muranaka, Yoshinori, and Katsunori Akagawa-were on the mound, supporting their development and success with his aggressive pitch calling. He also often appeared as a pinch runner due to his speed. On September 2, he sustained an injury to his right ankle while running during a game against the Giants. Initially reported as a sprain, it was later diagnosed as complete tears of both ankle ligaments, ending his season.

By 2012, with the emergence of Yuhei Nakamura, Kawamoto's opportunities to appear in first team official games significantly decreased.

3.2. Chiba Lotte Marines

On March 25, 2013, Kawamoto was traded to the Chiba Lotte Marines in exchange for Masahiko Tanaka. Following his transfer, he played in 47 games, sharing catching duties with Naoya Emura and Gaku Kanazawa, especially due to an injury sustained by veteran catcher Tomoya Satozaki.

In 2014, Satozaki's continued injury absence presented Kawamoto with another opportunity to secure the regular catcher position. However, he appeared in only 21 first team games, fewer than the previous year. Despite this, he delivered a memorable performance on August 6 against the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles at QVC Marine Field. He entered the game in the sixth inning as a pinch runner and took over catching duties from the seventh inning. In the bottom of the ninth inning, with one out and runners on first and third base, Kawamoto hit a walk-off single off Bryan Falkenborg, leading his team to a dramatic comeback victory after trailing by five runs in the top of the ninth.

Kawamoto did not make any appearances in first team official games during the 2015 season and was released by the team on October 3.

3.3. Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles

After being released by the Chiba Lotte Marines, Kawamoto sought to continue his professional career. From November 12, 2015, he participated in the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles' autumn camp as part of a tryout, alongside other former professional players including Kenta Kurihara (formerly of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp), Soma Yamauchi (formerly of the Chunichi Dragons), and Mu-yeong Kim (formerly of the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks). Masataka Nashida, the Eagles' manager and a former catcher himself, evaluated Kawamoto positively, describing him as a "catcher with good batting." On November 15, following an inter-squad game, Nashida publicly announced to approximately 4,200 spectators that all four players, including Kawamoto, had passed the tryout. A joint press conference for the new additions was held on December 7 at "Eagles Dome" within Kobo Stadium Miyagi. Kawamoto was assigned the uniform number 68.

Kawamoto was officially declared a free agent on December 2, 2016. After attending a student baseball qualification recovery training, he received certification from the Japan Student Baseball Association on February 7, 2017, allowing him to coach student baseball players. Despite receiving offers to serve as a player-coach in independent leagues and as a manager in amateur baseball, he did not receive any offers from NPB teams. Consequently, he announced his retirement from active play on March 3, 2017.

4.1. Career at APA Group

Kawamoto's post-baseball career began serendipitously. While attending a reception for his former Chiba Lotte Marines teammate Katsuya Kakunaka, he met Taku Motoya, the executive managing director of APA Hotel. Motoya, impressed by Kawamoto, offered him a position at the APA Group, a major Japanese hotel chain. Kawamoto accepted the offer and began working for the company on March 1, 2017. As of 2020, he holds the position of Chief Manager in the Corporate Sales Department at the Tokyo Headquarters.

Kawamoto quickly established himself as a valuable asset within the APA Group, actively engaging in hotel sales. His efforts directly led to the expansion of the "APA Hotel Day" event, which is annually held at Chiba Lotte Marines games, to also be held at Tokyo Yakult Swallows games starting in 2017. This achievement was a result of Kawamoto's direct negotiation with the Swallows' president, Tsuyoshi Kinugasa. During the ceremonial first pitch of these events, Kawamoto often serves as the catcher for APA Group's CEO, Fumiko Motoya. Beyond sales, Kawamoto also demonstrated his business acumen by personally selecting the original hair dryers for all guest rooms at the APA Hotel & Resort Yokohama Bay Tower.

Kawamoto holds a unique position within the APA Group as the first former professional baseball player hired by the company. He was brought on with the expectation that he would become a "pioneer for the second careers of professional baseball players," setting a precedent for others. Indeed, his success has paved the way for other former players, with Hiroki Egashira and Mizuki Tsuchida subsequently joining the APA Group, following Kawamoto's trailblazing path. This initiative highlights a positive and progressive approach to supporting athletes in their post-sports transitions. His impactful transition has even been the subject of dedicated literature, such as "Opening the Way: The Career Change of Former Professional Baseball Players" by Shoichi Hasegawa, published in October 2024 by Fuso Publishing, further solidifying his legacy as a leader in post-athletic career development.

6.1. Batting Statistics

6.2. Fielding Statistics

6.3. Records and Milestones

• First Appearance and First Start:** July 7, 2007, against the Yomiuri Giants (11th game of the season) at Meiji Jingu Stadium, starting as the 7th batter and catcher.
• First At-Bat:** On the same date, in the second inning, he struck out swinging against Jeremy Gonzalez.
• First Hit, First Home Run, and First RBI:** On the same date, in the fifth inning, he hit a 3-run home run to left field off Takuya Fukada.
• First Stolen Base:** July 10, 2007, against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp (9th game of the season) at Meiji Jingu Stadium, stealing second base in the second inning (pitcher: Shinji Sasaoka, catcher: Keiichi Ishihara).

6.4. Uniform Numbers

• 28 (2005-2012) - Tokyo Yakult Swallows
• 39 (2013-2015) - Chiba Lotte Marines
• 68 (2016) - Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles

6.5. Walk-up Songs

During his professional baseball games, Ryohei Kawamoto used a variety of walk-up songs when stepping up to the plate:

• B.F.F. by Miliyah Kato
• Butterfly by Smile.dk
• Resolver, composed by Ryo Yoshimata, which was also an insertion song in the television drama "Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi".
• Ninja Re Bang Bang by Kyary Pamyu Pamyu (used from 2014 to 2016).