Shogo Nakamura (baseball)

1.1. Childhood and Early Baseball

Nakamura was born on May 28, 1992, in Miki, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. He began his baseball journey in the second grade of Minagidai Elementary School, joining a little league team called "Sanda Little". During his time at Yoshikawa Junior High School, he was a member of the "Sanda Young" youth baseball team. His father, Masahito, was also a baseball alumnus of Tenri High School and had played against Tsutomu Ito-who would later become Nakamura's first professional manager-in the 62nd National High School Baseball Championship. His father played for Denden Kinki (now NTT West Japan) and continued to support Nakamura's baseball development by coaching and offering advice during his elementary and junior high school years.

1.2. High School Career

Nakamura attended Tenri High School, where he earned a spot on the varsity bench as an outfielder in his first year. In his second year, he participated in the 91st National High School Baseball Championship (Summer Koshien). He started as the third batter and center fielder in the first round and as the third batter and left fielder in the second round, achieving an impressive batting average of .714 with 5 hits and 3 RBIs in 7 at-bats. In his third year, during the 82nd National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament (Spring Koshien), he again started as the third batter and center fielder but failed to record a hit, and his team was defeated. Later that year, in the 92nd National High School Baseball Championship (Summer Koshien), he played as the third batter and third baseman in the first round, contributing 1 hit and 1 RBI in 3 at-bats, but his team lost to Riseisha High School, which featured future stars Tetsuto Yamada and Seishiro Sakamoto. His high school senior was Naohiro Nishiura, another notable baseball player.

1.3. University Career and Draft

Nakamura continued his baseball career at Waseda University, making his debut in the spring league during his freshman year. In the spring of his sophomore year, he transitioned from left field to second baseman following advice from defensive coach Shigeru Yagi. In July of his junior year, he was selected to represent Japan in the 39th Japan-USA University Baseball Championship. He started all games as the fifth batter and center fielder, hitting a triple in the fourth game and a go-ahead RBI single and a solo home run in the fifth game, finishing the tournament with a .438 batting average. In his senior year, he was appointed captain of the Waseda University baseball team. That July, he was again selected to the Japan national team for the 27th Haarlem Baseball Week, batting cleanup (fourth) in all games, primarily as a center fielder or designated hitter, and delivering RBI hits in the second and fifth games. Over his four years at Waseda, Nakamura played in 82 league games, accumulating 94 hits in 321 at-bats, with 46 RBIs, 11 home runs, and 18 stolen bases, for a career batting average of .293. He was also honored with the Best Nine award for second basemen in the Tokyo Big6 Baseball League during the autumn leagues of his sophomore, junior, and senior years.

On October 23, 2014, Nakamura was the first-round draft pick for the Chiba Lotte Marines in the 2014 Nippon Professional Baseball draft. He signed a contract with an estimated signing bonus of 100.00 M JPY plus incentives up to 50.00 M JPY, and an annual salary of 15.00 M JPY. He was assigned uniform number 23. Notably, on March 25, 2015, the day of his Waseda University graduation ceremony, Nakamura was unable to attend as he had already joined the Marines in Fukuoka for the opening day roster. His Waseda University classmate, Kohei Arihara, was also a first-round pick and joined the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.

2.1. 2015-2017: Early Years and Adaptation

His professional debut was on March 29, 2015, as a pinch-runner for Shunichi Nemoto in a game against the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks at Fukuoka Yahoo! Dome. His first professional at-bat came on April 2, 2015, against the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters at QVC Marine Field (now ZOZO Marine Stadium), where he struck out as a pinch-hitter. On April 8, 2015, he made his first professional start as the ninth batter and second baseman against the Orix Buffaloes at Kyocera Dome Osaka, recording his first hit in the fifth inning off Takahiro Matsuba. Four days later, on April 12, in a game against the Saitama Seibu Lions at Seibu Prince Dome, he collected his first RBI with a single after entering as a pinch-runner. On April 30, 2015, starting as the leadoff hitter and third baseman against the Saitama Seibu Lions, he hit his first professional home run in the first inning off Wade LeBlanc. This was a significant achievement, making him only the sixth player in Japanese baseball history, the fourth in the Pacific League, and the first ever for the Marines, to hit a leadoff home run as a rookie.

In his rookie season, Nakamura spent the first half primarily as a substitute. However, from July 15, he became the regular third baseman due to an injury to Toshiaki Imae, who had fractured his left hand after being hit by a pitch. After Imae's return, Nakamura was primarily used as a second baseman. Despite his batting average often staying below .250, he played across six different spots in the batting order (excluding cleanup) and defensively at five positions: second base, third base, shortstop, left field, and center field. He finished his rookie year with 111 games played, a .230 batting average, 5 home runs, 21 RBIs, and 4 stolen bases.

In 2016, with the departure of regular third baseman Toshiaki Imae and second baseman Luis Cruz, and a one-month suspension for new foreign player Yamaico Navarro, Nakamura seized the opportunity. He made his first Opening Day start on March 25 against the Nippon-Ham Fighters as the ninth batter and second baseman. After Navarro's return, he continued to play at third base, showing flashes of brilliance like a 4-hit, 6-times-on-base, 3-RBI performance against the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles on May 5. However, he then entered a slump, batting only .073 (4 hits in 55 at-bats) over the next month, combined with defensive errors, leading to his first demotion to the second team on June 8. He returned to the first team after the minimum ten days but was demoted again on August 4, returning on August 19. Despite continued struggles at the plate, he showed clutch hitting in September, including a game-tying home run against the Orix Buffaloes on September 24 that helped the team secure a Climax Series spot. In the regular season finale on October 5 against the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, he had two hits, including an RBI double. He participated in both Climax Series games as the ninth batter and third baseman. He finished the season with 108 games played, a .201 batting average, 6 home runs, 25 RBIs, and 4 stolen bases. While his batting average remained low, he started 32 games at second base and 50 at third base. On November 25, his salary increased by 7.00 M JPY to an estimated 32.00 M JPY. The Marines also announced that he would switch his uniform number from 23 to 8, a number considered "special" within the organization, previously worn by legends like Michiyo Arito and Toshiaki Imae, signifying the club's high expectations for him to become a central figure and face of the team.

The 2017 season began with Nakamura entering a competition for the starting shortstop position, as the team planned to convert Daichi Suzuki to second base. He started as the ninth batter and shortstop in the Opening Day game against the SoftBank Hawks on March 31 but struggled, striking out twice and being replaced mid-game. His struggles continued, leading to an early demotion to the second team on April 6. After a brief return to the first team on May 3, he was sent down again on May 8 after only four games, having gone hitless in 17 at-bats, marking the worst slump of his professional career. He worked his way back, returning to the first team on June 17, and his hitting gradually improved after securing his first hit of the season on June 18 against the Yomiuri Giants. He then took over as the regular third baseman, replacing Matt Duffy and Shota Ohmine. Towards the end of the season, Nakamura's clutch performances increased, including a go-ahead 2-run home run against the SoftBank Hawks on September 26. He was occasionally used as the fifth batter. From the All-Star break onward, he primarily batted sixth, hitting .294 with 7 home runs and 11 stolen bases. In September alone, he posted a .294 average (30 hits in 102 at-bats), 3 home runs, and 8 stolen bases. He concluded the season with 85 games played (81 starts), a .275 batting average, 9 home runs, 32 RBIs, and a career-high 11 stolen bases, marking his first double-digit stolen base season. Nakamura credited advice from Kazuya Fukura for his improved hitting, stating he focused on "taking his stance early and extending slowly" without changing his swing, which allowed him to hit effectively even when jammed. On October 12, he was selected to the Japan national team for the 1st Asia Professional Baseball Championship. On November 29, his salary was increased by 3.00 M JPY to an estimated 35.00 M JPY. The offseason also saw a managerial change from Tsutomu Ito to Tadahito Iguchi, who promptly announced a plan to move Nakamura to second base and Daichi Suzuki to third base. Nakamura embraced this change, stating second base was a position he had always wanted to play since university and he aimed to become a reliable regular there.

2.2. 2018-2021: Breakout and Captaincy

The 2018 season marked a shift for Nakamura from a "promising young player" to an "absolute regular." With Tadahito Iguchi taking over as manager-a figure Nakamura had admired since his university days-Nakamura felt motivated to meet the expectations of being a core player. He set ambitious goals, publicly aiming for a ".300 batting average and 30 stolen bases," with some predicting he could achieve "30 home runs and 30 stolen bases." He showed excellent form throughout spring training and exhibition games. On Opening Day, March 30, against the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles at ZOZO Marine Stadium, he started as the third batter and second baseman, delivering 3 hits and 1 RBI. The next day, against the same team, he hit his first home run of the season in his second at-bat. His strong performance led to his first selection to the All-Star Game via manager's recommendation. Nakamura finished the season playing in all 143 games (a career-first, also reaching qualifying plate appearances), with a .284 batting average, 8 home runs, and a league-second 39 stolen bases. Defensively, he recorded a league-best .993 fielding percentage at second base, earning his first Golden Glove Award. He also made history as the first player in Nippon Professional Baseball to be hit by 20 or more pitches and play every full inning of every game in a season, setting a club record with 22 hit-by-pitches.



In 2019, Nakamura continued his strong play by starting as the third batter and second baseman on Opening Day, March 29, against the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, contributing 2 hits, 1 home run, and 1 RBI. He started the season exceptionally well, with a .361 batting average, 5 home runs, 10 RBIs, and 6 stolen bases through the first 10 games, including two consecutive home runs and a 3-hit performance against the SoftBank Hawks on April 5. However, on April 21, he suffered a facial laceration, requiring 10 stitches below his left eye, after colliding with battery coach Masami Shimizu during practice. Although he was removed from the starting lineup, ending his streak of 188 consecutive full-inning appearances, he did pinch-hit in the eighth inning to maintain his overall consecutive games played streak. Following the injury, his performance dipped, and he was moved down to sixth in the batting order on May 6. He also temporarily lost his third batter spot to Katsuya Kakunaka and Ikuhiro Kiyota and was benched on May 21. He regained form in June, batting .301 for the month, but struggled in other months, finishing the season with a .232 batting average. Despite the struggles, he achieved career highs in home runs (17) and RBIs (59) and was the only player on the team to appear in all games.

The 2020 season began with Nakamura making his fifth consecutive Opening Day start as the sixth batter and second baseman against the SoftBank Hawks on June 19. He endured a difficult start, getting hit in the head twice in nine days: first by Wataru Matsumoto in a practice game on June 13, and then by Akira Niho in the third game of the season against the SoftBank Hawks on June 21. Both incidents resulted in head contusions. Despite the alarming occurrences, Nakamura showed remarkable resilience. He started the very next game on June 23 against the Orix Buffaloes, hitting a game-tying home run in the sixth inning. Two days later, on June 25, he hit his first career grand slam off rookie Ryota Muranishi, contributing significantly to the Marines' first five-game winning streak in four years and their first sole possession of first place in the league in 1,530 days. He enjoyed a strong August, batting .326, but his performance declined in September, dropping to .211. He finished the season with a .249 batting average (18th in the league) and 105 hits (15th in the league), both team-highs, and completed his third consecutive season playing in all games. In the Climax Series against the SoftBank Hawks, he played both games as the sixth batter and second baseman, recording 2 hits and 1 RBI in 8 at-bats, with a .250 batting average, though the team was defeated. Following the season, on December 26, he signed a contract for an estimated 67.00 M JPY (a 5.00 M JPY reduction) and was officially announced as the team captain for the upcoming season. He also revealed that he had married a non-celebrity woman in 2020, stating it helped him to "focus on baseball with a stable mind."

In 2021, Nakamura continued his leadership role, making his sixth consecutive Opening Day start as the sixth batter and second baseman against the SoftBank Hawks on March 26. From the third game of the season, he became a fixture as the third batter and second baseman. He had an excellent start to April, with 4 hits and 3 runs in 6 at-bats against the Nippon-Ham Fighters on April 2, followed by another 3 hits and 3 runs in 5 at-bats the next day, marking two consecutive multi-hit games. His consistent performance earned him his second All-Star Game selection via manager's recommendation. On September 15, against the SoftBank Hawks, he hit an RBI single off Carter Stewart, reaching a career-high 60 RBIs with 33 games still remaining in the season. Although his batting average of .283 was just shy of his career-best .284, he set career highs with a .297 batting average with runners in scoring position, 67 RBIs, and 76 walks (leading the team). He completed his fourth consecutive season playing in all games and his second consecutive starting all games. Defensively, he recorded a high .987 fielding percentage at second base, leading to his second Golden Glove Award in three years, with a significant 35-vote lead over Hideto Asamura of the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. This marked the first time a Marines second baseman had received multiple Golden Glove awards. He also received the "Chewing VP" award for his efforts in promoting chewing in sports. At the NPB Awards, he earned his first Best Nine award as a second baseman in his seventh professional year. Following the season, his contract was renewed for an estimated 110.00 M JPY, marking a 40.00 M JPY increase and his first time surpassing the 100.00 M JPY mark. He was also confirmed to continue as team captain for the following year. Despite being eligible for domestic free agency, he chose to sign a single-year contract.

2.3. 2022-Present: Milestones and Recent Performance

The 2022 season saw Nakamura make his seventh consecutive Opening Day start as the third batter and second baseman against the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles on March 25. He delivered the first RBI hit across all 12 NPB teams that season, a 2-run single off Takahiro Norimoto in the sixth inning. However, his impressive streak of 630 consecutive games played, which had begun on June 28, 2017, came to an end on April 3 when he tested positive for COVID-19, leading to his removal from the roster under "Special Case 2022" protocols. Upon his return, on June 1 in a game against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, he made his first career start as the cleanup hitter (fourth batter). In the second inning, he hit a solo home run off Juri Hara, becoming the 22nd player in NPB history to hit a home run from every position in the batting order. In July, he achieved a personal first with three consecutive "hero interviews" after decisive hits: a sacrifice fly against the SoftBank Hawks on July 18, a 3-run home run against the Saitama Seibu Lions on July 19, and a 2-run double against the same team on July 20. On September 14, he recorded his 100th career stolen base against the Nippon-Ham Fighters. On November 4, despite acquiring domestic free agency rights in April, Nakamura announced he would not exercise them and would remain with the Marines, citing his "desire to win a championship with this team." On November 19, he confirmed signing a new four-year contract, though the specific salary was not disclosed, with reports suggesting it was in the scale of 1.00 B JPY. He also announced he would continue as team captain.

In 2023, Nakamura extended his Opening Day start streak to eight consecutive seasons, playing as the second batter and second baseman against the SoftBank Hawks on March 31. On April 11, starting as the third batter and second baseman against the Saitama Seibu Lions, he played his 1000th career game, becoming the 519th player in Nippon Professional Baseball history to reach this milestone. He celebrated the occasion by hitting a go-ahead 2-run home run in the first inning. On August 22, in a game against the SoftBank Hawks, he hit a go-ahead solo home run in the third inning, marking his second consecutive season with double-digit home runs, a personal first. However, his batting average for the year dropped to .220, the lowest among qualifying players in the league. Despite this, his defensive prowess was recognized again as he received another Golden Glove Award for second basemen.

The 2024 season brought a positional change for Nakamura, as manager Masato Yoshii converted him to third base, explaining it was to "reduce physical burden and focus on batting." He started in 22 consecutive games from Opening Day, but struggled significantly, maintaining a .184 batting average with 0 home runs and 3 RBIs, leading to his removal from the starting lineup on April 27. His hitting woes continued after returning to the first team, causing him to fall 10 plate appearances short of qualifying for the season, and ending his 7-year streak of 100 or more hits. On June 25, against the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, he achieved his 1000th career hit with an RBI double in the third inning off Seiryu Uchi, becoming the 319th player in NPB history to reach this milestone. Despite his multi-year contract, his salary remained at 200.00 M JPY. During his contract renewal announcement, Nakamura stated his intention to request a reconversion back to second base for the next season.

3.1. Batting Characteristics

Early in his professional career, Nakamura was highly regarded as a "hitter with the technique to hit to all fields." He demonstrated a notable tendency to perform better against left-handed pitchers; his on-base plus slugging (OPS) against left-handers showed a consistent upward trend from .660 in 2015 to .699 in 2016, and an impressive .920 in 2017, with his 2017 OPS against left-handers ranking fifth in the league. For several seasons after turning professional, he showed characteristics of a "free-swinger" with a low walk rate relative to his strikeouts and a high swing rate at pitches outside the strike zone. His strikeout rates were 23.1% in 2015, 21.5% in 2016, and 20.2% in 2017. His walk rates were 5.0% in 2015, 8.0% in 2016, and 6.4% in 2017. His chase rate (swinging at pitches outside the strike zone) was 40.7% in 2015, 39.0% in 2016, and 33.9% in 2017, consistently placing him among the bottom five in the league for the first three years. However, his plate vision has improved in recent years, with his strikeout rate falling to 19.4% and his walk rate rising to 10.4% in 2020. Nakamura has stated his ideal batting style is that of a "middle-distance hitter" who can maintain a good batting average and utilize his speed. He also aims to be a hitter who can consistently hit strong balls to the opposite field, drawing inspiration from his role model, Tadahito Iguchi.

3.2. Fielding and Baserunning

Nakamura possesses excellent athletic attributes, including a long toss of 377 ft ^{(115 m)} and a 50-meter dash time of 6 s. His baserunning ability is evident in his four seasons with double-digit stolen bases, including a career-high 39 in 2018.

His defensive skills as a second baseman are particularly strong, leading to three Golden Glove Awards in 2018, 2021, and 2023. Data analysis by DELTA FIELDING AWARDS also ranked him among the top two second basemen in the league for four consecutive years, highlighting his reliable defense and wide defensive range. Nakamura has also been frequently deployed at third base, where he has demonstrated strong defensive metrics. In 2016, his Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR) as a third baseman was 8.0 (second in the league), and in 2017, his UZR at third base was 6.5 (leading the league).

4.1. Family and Influences

Nakamura's father, Masahito, was also an alumnus of Tenri High School's baseball team and played as the third batter and left fielder in the 62nd National High School Baseball Championship (Summer Koshien). During that tournament, his father faced Tsutomu Ito, who would later become Shogo Nakamura's first professional manager with the Chiba Lotte Marines. His father continued his baseball career with Denden Kinki (now NTT West Japan) and actively coached and advised Shogo throughout his elementary and junior high school years. Among his peers, Nakamura has stated that he is particularly conscious of Tetsuto Yamada, with whom he played in the same league in Hyogo Prefecture during elementary school and competed against in Koshien.

Since his time at Waseda University, Tadahito Iguchi has been Nakamura's "idol and target player." Following Nakamura's draft by the Marines, Iguchi became both his teammate and later his manager, creating a unique player-coach relationship. Nakamura began to emulate Iguchi after being converted to second base in his sophomore year of university, as Iguchi, a "speedy and skilled right-handed hitter," served as an ideal role model. Nakamura also holds an ideal of becoming a hitter who can consistently hit strong balls to the opposite field, much like Iguchi did during his playing days.

4.2. Personality and Interests

Upon turning professional, Shogo Nakamura was initially described as "the most unassuming first-round draft pick." However, he stated in a 2015 spring training interview that his ideal was to be a "middle-distance hitter" who could maintain a good batting average and utilize his speed, believing that "if I perform well, I'll naturally get attention." Nakamura is often referred to as a "baseball bug" (野球の虫_{Yakyu no Mushi}^Japanese), known for his intense dedication to the sport. He does not read manga or play video games, and on his days off, he limits outings (except for shopping) to prioritize rest and recovery from fatigue. He is also a teetotaler and does not consume alcohol. Described as having a serious personality, Nakamura lists "people watching" (人間観察_{Ningen Kansatsu}^Japanese) as one of his hobbies. His favorite food is meat, particularly horse meat. In 2020, he married a non-celebrity woman, a fact he announced after his 2021 contract renewal.

4.3. Notable Episodes

Nakamura's career has been marked by several unique and memorable moments. His first professional home run in 2015 was a leadoff shot, making him the first rookie in Chiba Lotte Marines history to achieve this feat. In 2018, he became the first player in Nippon Professional Baseball history to record 20 or more hit-by-pitches in a single season while playing every full inning of every game; he set a Marines club record with 22 HBP that year. In 2022, he joined an exclusive group of players by hitting a home run from every position in the batting order, becoming the 22nd player in NPB history to accomplish this rare feat. His remarkable streak of 630 consecutive games played, which ran from June 28, 2017, to April 3, 2022, was unfortunately ended due to a positive COVID-19 test.

6.1. Awards and Honors

• Best Nine (Second Baseman): 2021 (1 time)
• Golden Glove Award (Second Baseman): 2018, 2021, 2023 (3 times)
• Jetstar Superstar Award: 2018
• Chewing VP: 2021

6.2. Career Milestones

• First Appearance: March 29, 2015 (as a pinch-runner vs. SoftBank Hawks at Fukuoka Yahoo! Dome)
• First At-Bat: April 2, 2015 (as a pinch-hitter vs. Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters at QVC Marine Field, strikeout)
• First Start: April 8, 2015 (as 9th batter, second baseman vs. Orix Buffaloes at Kyocera Dome Osaka)
• First Hit: April 8, 2015 (vs. Takahiro Matsuba)
• First RBI: April 12, 2015 (vs. Toshihiro Iwao)
• First Home Run: April 30, 2015 (leadoff home run vs. Wade LeBlanc at QVC Marine Field; first by a Marines rookie)
• First Stolen Base: May 20, 2015 (vs. Saitama Seibu Lions at Seibu Prince Dome)
• 1000th Game Played: April 11, 2023 (vs. Saitama Seibu Lions at Belluna Dome; 519th player in NPB history)
• 1000th Career Hit: June 25, 2024 (vs. Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles at ZOZO Marine Stadium; 319th player in NPB history)
• 100th Career Stolen Base: September 14, 2022 (vs. Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters)

6.3. Other Notable Records

• Single Season with 20+ Hit-by-Pitches and Full-Inning Attendance in All Games: 2018 (first in NPB history)
• Single Season 22 Hit-by-Pitches: 2018 (Marines club record)
• Home Runs from All Batting Order Positions: June 1, 2022 (solo home run as 4th batter vs. Juri Hara at Meiji Jingu Stadium; 22nd player in NPB history)
• All-Star Game Appearances: 2 (2018, 2021)

9.1. Batting Statistics

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

9.2. Fielding Statistics

• Statistics current as of the end of the 2024 season.
• Bold indicates league leader.
• Bolded Year indicates Golden Glove Award season.