Seishu Hatake

1. Early Life and Amateur Career

1.1. Youth and Education

Seishū Hatake began his baseball journey in the soft baseball club at Kure Municipal Kawajiri Junior High School before attending Kindai University High School Fukuyama. Upon entering high school, his fastball velocity was measured at 83 mph ^{(133 km/h)}, which steadily improved to 88 mph ^{(142 km/h)} by his third year. As the team's ace in his third year, he led them to the top 16 in Hiroshima Prefecture. In a fourth-round game against Hiroshima Shinjō High School, Hatake faced Reito Taguchi, who would later become his teammate with the Yomiuri Giants. Taguchi, then a second-year student, pitched seven innings of one-hit shutout baseball, while Hatake, appearing in relief, gave up seven runs in two innings, resulting in a 0-12 loss for his team.

1.2. University Years and Draft

After high school, Hatake enrolled at Kindai University, where he pitched in 46 collegiate games. Over his university career, he recorded 13 wins and 13 losses with a ERA of 2.03 and 216 strikeouts. On October 20, 2016, during the 2016 NPB Draft, the Yomiuri Giants selected him in the second round. On November 15, he officially signed with the Giants, securing a contract worth an estimated 70.00 M JPY in signing bonus and an annual salary of 12.00 M JPY. His initial jersey number was 28. Following the draft, Hatake underwent surgery to remove a loose body from his right elbow. His scout was Akinori Masuda.

2. Professional Career

Hatake's professional career has been primarily with the Yomiuri Giants before his recent transfer to the Hanshin Tigers, marked by periods of strong performance, injury setbacks, and role adjustments.

2.1. Yomiuri Giants (2017-2024)

During his tenure with the Yomiuri Giants, Hatake established himself as a promising pitcher, demonstrating versatility in both starting and relief roles, though his career was also impacted by injuries and notable on-field incidents.

2.1.1. 2017 Season

Hatake's 2017 rookie season began with a setback as he started in the third team due to his right elbow surgery. He made his second-team debut on April 30, pitching five scoreless innings. His first-team debut came on July 6 against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, where he gave up four runs in four innings without a decision. On July 19, he earned his first professional win against the Chunichi Dragons, pitching 7 1/3 innings and allowing only two runs. He continued to be a regular in the starting rotation and accumulated more wins. However, on September 30, in a game against the Hanshin Tigers, he hit Hiromoto Uemoto in the head with a pitch in the first inning, resulting in the fastest ejection in NPB first-team official game history (fourth pitch from the start of the game). He also tied the record for the fewest batters faced before ejection (two batters, shared with Ren Kazehari), though this record was later surpassed by Ken Sasaki of the Seibu Lions on July 2, 2021, who faced only one batter with three pitches. The following day, on October 1, he pitched in relief against the Tigers, giving up two consecutive solo home runs to Uemoto and Yoshio Itoi after entering the game in the fifth inning. He then pitched three scoreless innings, totaling two runs allowed over three innings. Despite his effort, the Giants lost the game, finishing in B-Class for the first time in 11 years. Overall, in his debut season, Hatake appeared in 13 games, recording 6 wins and 4 losses with a commendable ERA of 2.99. In the offseason, his salary doubled to an estimated 24.00 M JPY.

2.1.2. 2018 Season

The 2018 season for Hatake was significantly hampered by injury. He sustained a lower back injury during spring training in February, leading to a long rehabilitation period in the third team. He didn't return to live action in the third team until August 11, and joined the second team on September 4. On September 11, he was promoted to the first team for the first time that season. To bolster the Giants' bullpen, he focused solely on a relief role, making no starts. He earned his first win of the season in relief on September 23 against the Hanshin Tigers, contributing to a comeback victory. He also picked up a win in a relief appearance against the Tigers on October 9. In the Climax Series First Stage against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, he pitched a scoreless seventh inning. However, in Game 2 of the Final Stage against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, he entered in the seventh inning but struggled in the eighth, giving up four runs in 1 2/3 innings, leading to a come-from-behind loss for the Giants. In the offseason, his salary was reduced by 4.80 M JPY to an estimated 19.20 M JPY, and his jersey number was changed from 28 to 31.

2.1.3. 2019 Season

In 2019, Hatake began the season in the starting rotation but struggled in his first two starts, allowing five or more runs in both outings before completing five innings. He was demoted to the second team on April 15. He returned to the first team as a reliever on April 30 but was sent back to the second team for further adjustment on May 6. On July 18, he underwent a second right elbow loose body removal surgery, similar to the one performed three years prior, which prevented him from returning to the first team for the rest of the season. Following the season, his contract was renewed at an estimated 16.30 M JPY, a reduction of 2.90 M JPY.

2.1.4. 2020 Season

Hatake's 2020 season began with another injury setback; he was sidelined from the first team on February 29 during spring training due to a right shoulder muscle strain. He made his season debut and first start on July 31 against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, but was ejected for the second time in his career after hitting Tsubasa Aizawa in the head with a pitch in the fifth inning with a one-run lead. In August, he made three starts but lost all three games and was removed from the active roster on August 23. He was re-registered on September 20 and remained in the rotation thereafter. On November 1, he recorded his first career complete game shutout against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows. He finished the season with 12 starts, recording 4 wins and 4 losses with an ERA of 2.88. On November 25, he started Game 4 of the Japan Series against the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks but was removed from the game in the second inning after giving up two-run home runs to Yuki Yanagita and Takuya Kai. In the offseason, his salary increased by 5.70 M JPY to an estimated 22.00 M JPY, and his jersey number was changed from 31 to 45.

2.1.5. 2021 Season

The 2021 season saw Hatake transition more predominantly into a relief role. He earned his first win of the season on April 14 against the Chunichi Dragons. From June onwards, he became a dedicated reliever and made a career-high 52 appearances. He also showed particular effectiveness against the Yokohama DeNA BayStars throughout the season. In the offseason, he signed a contract worth an estimated 36.30 M JPY, a significant increase of 14.30 M JPY.

2.1.6. 2022 Season

In 2022, Hatake made 27 appearances, recording 3 wins, 0 losses, and 1 save with an ERA of 3.14. On November 25, he signed a contract for an estimated 33.00 M JPY, a reduction of 3.30 M JPY.

2.1.7. 2023 Season

Hatake's 2023 season was again impacted by injury. On March 23, he underwent arthroscopic cleaning surgery on his right elbow, which led to him making no first-team appearances throughout the year. On November 29, his salary was reduced by 8.00 M JPY to an estimated 25.00 M JPY, a cut close to the maximum allowed reduction.

2.1.8. 2024 Season

In 2024, Hatake's appearances were very limited, as he pitched in only one game. This limited activity ultimately led to his selection in the active player draft.

2.2. Hanshin Tigers (2025-present)

On December 9, 2024, during the active player draft, Seishū Hatake was selected by the Hanshin Tigers, marking his transfer from the Yomiuri Giants to his new team for the upcoming 2025 season.

3. Player Profile

3.1. Pitching Style

Seishū Hatake's distinctive pitching form is characterized by raising his glove high above his head and then using the momentum from lowering it to snap his right arm high in a vertical motion, resulting in a unique delivery. In 2018, while playing in the third team, his fastball velocity reached a personal best of 97 mph ^{(156 km/h)}.

3.2. Pitch Repertoire

Hatake utilizes a diverse pitch repertoire. In addition to his powerful fastball, he effectively employs several off-speed pitches. His primary breaking balls include a slider and a cut fastball. He also throws a curveball, a forkball, and a changeup, allowing him to keep opposing batters off balance.

4. Personal Life and Public Activities

4.1. Personal Details

The name "Seishū" (世周) carries the meaning "for the world to turn positively for oneself." Hatake is a distant relative of fellow baseball player Reito Taguchi. Interestingly, he was originally left-handed but was corrected to be right-handed by his parents when he was in elementary school to expand his options for playing positions. Hatake is also known for his hobbies, including being a devoted fan (a "Bandreamer") of the Japanese music media franchise BanG Dream!, with Roselia being his favorite band. He often uses Roselia's songs as his entrance themes during games. He is also a fan of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya light novel series, having contributed a support comment when The Intuition of Haruhi Suzumiya was released.

First appearance and first start: July 6, 2017, against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp (Game 14) at MAZDA Zoom-Zoom Stadium Hiroshima; pitched 4 innings, allowing 4 runs, with no decision.
First strikeout: July 6, 2017, in the 1st inning against Ryosuke Kikuchi (swinging strikeout).
First win and first start win: July 19, 2017, against the Chunichi Dragons (Game 15) at Nagoya Dome; pitched 7 1/3 innings, allowing 2 runs.
First hold: September 12, 2018, against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows (Game 22) at Tokyo Dome; pitched 1 scoreless inning in relief (entered in the 8th inning).
First complete game and first shutout win: November 1, 2020, against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows (Game 22) at Tokyo Dome; pitched 9 innings, allowing 0 runs with 7 strikeouts.
First save: September 12, 2021, against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp (Game 18) at MAZDA Zoom-Zoom Stadium Hiroshima; pitched 1 scoreless inning in relief (entered in the 9th inning).

5.1.2. Batting Records

First at-bat: July 6, 2017, against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp (Game 14) at MAZDA Zoom-Zoom Stadium Hiroshima; grounded out to third base against Kris Johnson in the 2nd inning.
First hit and first RBI: September 17, 2017, against the Yokohama DeNA BayStars (final game) at Tokyo Dome; hit a go-ahead RBI single to center field against Shigeru Kaga in the 5th inning.

5.2. Seasonal Statistics

5.2.1. Pitching Statistics

Year	Team	G	GS	CG	SHO	W	L	SV	HLD	Win%	BF	IP	H	HR	BB	IBB	HBP	SO	WP	BK	R	ER	ERA	WHIP
2017	Yomiuri Giants	13	12	0	0	6	4	0	0	.600	288	72.1	53	9	23	0	2	72	1	0	27	24	2.99	1.05
2018	Yomiuri Giants	9	0	0	0	2	0	0	3	1.000	41	9.2	10	0	2	0	0	10	1	0	3	3	2.79	1.24
2019	Yomiuri Giants	5	3	0	0	0	1	0	0	.000	76	15.2	26	2	5	0	1	14	0	0	14	12	6.89	2.07
2020	Yomiuri Giants	12	12	1	1	4	4	0	0	.500	265	65.2	47	5	23	0	4	49	1	0	22	21	2.88	1.07
2021	Yomiuri Giants	52	9	0	0	4	3	1	11	.571	390	96.2	83	13	25	1	4	97	2	1	37	33	3.07	1.12
2022	Yomiuri Giants	27	0	0	0	3	0	1	5	1.000	122	28.2	22	3	14	2	0	22	1	0	11	10	3.14	1.26
2024	Yomiuri Giants	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	----	10	3.0	1	1	0	0	0	3	0	0	1	1	3.00	0.33
Career (7 years)		119	36	1	1	19	12	2	19	.613	1192	291.2	242	33	92	3	11	267	6	1	115	104	3.21	1.15

As of the end of the 2024 season.

5.2.2. Fielding Statistics

Year	Team	G	PO	A	E	DP	FPCT
2017	Yomiuri Giants	13	0	8	1	1	.889
2018	Yomiuri Giants	9	0	2	0	0	1.000
2019	Yomiuri Giants	5	0	4	1	0	.800
2020	Yomiuri Giants	12	1	10	0	1	1.000
2021	Yomiuri Giants	52	3	15	0	0	1.000
2022	Yomiuri Giants	27	2	6	0	0	1.000
2024	Yomiuri Giants	1	0	0	0	0	----
Career Total		119	6	45	2	2	.962