Taisei Ota

1.1. Birth and Childhood

Ota was born on June 29, 1999, in Yachiyo Town, Taka District, Hyōgo Prefecture, which is now part of Taka Town. He began playing baseball in the first grade at Taka Town Yachiyo North Elementary School (now Taka Town Yachiyo Elementary School) with the "Yachiyo Boy's Baseball Club," a soft-pitch team. In junior high school at Taka Town Yachiyo Junior High School, he played for the Hyokami Boy's in the Boys League. His first name, Taisei, was given because he was born about two weeks after his due date, and many people were eagerly awaiting his arrival, signifying "large crowd" or "great momentum."
q=Taka Town, Hyōgo Prefecture|position=right

1.2. High School Years

Ota attended Hyogo Prefectural Nishiwaki Technical High School, where he joined the baseball team. He earned a spot on the varsity roster from his first spring. In the fourth round of the Hyogo Prefectural Tournament during his second summer (July 22, 2016), Ota played against Kobe Kokusai University Affiliated High School, which featured his future teammate Ryuta Hirai. Batting fourth and playing left field, Ota hit a go-ahead RBI single off Hirai in the third inning, though his team ultimately lost in extra innings. He became the ace of the team in his second autumn. Despite his efforts, the team's best performance was reaching the best 16 in the prefectural tournament during his third summer, and he never played in the Koshien Tournament. In his third year of high school, Ota submitted a professional draft request but was not selected.

1.3. University Years

Following high school, Ota enrolled in the Department of Business Management within the Faculty of Human Sciences at Kansai International University. He joined the university's hardball baseball club, making his debut in the Hanshin University Baseball League 1st division during his second spring. Throughout his university league career, he recorded 4 wins and 3 losses in 9 appearances. In March 2020, Ota gained attention when he pitched 4 innings against the Hanshin Tigers' farm team in a practice game, allowing 2 runs on 3 hits while striking out 5.

On October 11, 2021, during the NPB Draft, the Yomiuri Giants selected Ota as their first-round pick after failing to secure Tomoichiro Sumida. On October 22, the Hanshin University Baseball League announced its fall league individual awards, and Ota received a Special Award. On November 15, he signed a provisional contract with the Giants for an estimated signing bonus of 100.00 M JPY plus an additional 50.00 M JPY in incentives, with an annual salary of 16.00 M JPY. He was assigned uniform number 15. The Giants decided to register his name as "Taisei" (大勢^Japanese), instead of his full surname, due to the presence of another player named Ryu Ota on the team, to avoid confusion. This decision was suggested by then-manager Tatsunori Hara. While some media reported this as the first time a Japanese player in Giants history used only their given name as a registered name, there were precedents, such as Michael Nakamura (whose Japanese nationality name was "Michael Nakamura") being registered as "MICHEAL" and Hugo Kanabushi, a Japanese-Brazilian third-generation player, being registered as "Hugo" when he was with the Giants in 2016.

2.1. Yomiuri Giants (2022-present)

Since joining the Yomiuri Giants, Ota has demonstrated significant progress and made substantial contributions, particularly as a closer.

3.1. 2023 World Baseball Classic

On January 26, 2023, Taisei Ota was selected as a member of the Japan national baseball team for the 2023 World Baseball Classic. He wore uniform number 15, the same as his club team.

In the tournament's first round, Pool B (Tokyo Round), Ota appeared in the game against Australia on March 12, entering as the third pitcher in the seventh inning. He pitched one inning, throwing 13 pitches, allowing one hit, striking out one, and giving up no runs. In the quarterfinal match against Italy on March 16, Ota pitched in the ninth inning with a six-run lead. He completed one inning with 21 pitches, allowing two hits, striking out one, and holding Italy scoreless, helping Japan advance to the semifinals.

In the final round, held at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, Ota pitched in the top of the ninth inning of the semifinal game against Mexico on March 21, with Japan trailing by one run. He threw 12 pitches over one inning, allowing no hits, striking out one, and hitting one batter, but kept Mexico scoreless. Japan secured a walk-off victory in the bottom of the ninth, and Ota was credited with the win. The following day, in the final against the United States, Ota entered the game in the seventh inning with a two-run lead. He pitched one inning, throwing 13 pitches, giving up one hit and one walk, but maintained the shutout. Japan ultimately won the tournament, earning the gold medal.

3.2. 2024 WBSC Premier12

Ota was selected as a member of the Japan national baseball team for the 2024 WBSC Premier12 on October 9, 2024. He again wore uniform number 15. Japan finished the tournament in second place, earning a silver medal. In the tournament, Ota pitched 4.0 innings over 4 games, recording 2 saves, allowing 4 hits, 0 home runs, 0 walks, 0 hit by pitches, 3 strikeouts, 1 wild pitch, 0 balks, and 0 earned runs, achieving an ERA of 0.00.

4.1. Pitching Style and Repertoire

Taisei Ota is characterized by his sidearm pitching delivery. His primary weapon is a powerful fastball that can reach up to 99 mph ^{(160 km/h)}, noted for its unique movement, often described as "shooting" with a sinker-like rotation. His secondary pitches include a forkball, changeup, and slider.

Initially, there were expectations for Ota to be a starting pitcher. However, Masumi Kuwata, who served as the first-team pitching coach during Ota's rookie year, assessed that Ota's pitching style was "not suitable for a starter" due to the physical toll it might take. Considering Ota's own preference for a relief role, Kuwata advocated for Ota to be used as a closer, a suggestion that was accepted by manager Tatsunori Hara. During his rookie season, Ota utilized a "heel-up" delivery, a technique where the heel is lifted during the weight transfer phase of the pitch, similar to that used by former star pitcher Suguru Egawa, which contributed to the velocity and power of his fastball. However, after experiencing a slump in the 2023 season, he decided to abandon the heel-up mechanics. Due to his pitching form and style, Ota has drawn comparisons to former Yakult Swallows closer Lim Chang-yong.

4.2. Role and Development

From his rookie year, Ota was recognized for his high potential, with some speculating that he could achieve the rare "Rookie of the Year and Most Saves" double title, solidifying his role as the "Giants' closer." His workload in 2022 was significant; despite pitching coach Kuwata's strategy of limiting three-day consecutive pitching, Ota made 57 appearances, tied for the most among pitchers with double-digit saves, often facing irregular pitching schedules (e.g., 7 appearances in 11 days). Ota expressed gratitude to Kuwata for protecting him during the season.

His struggles in 2023 were attributed to a combination of factors, including his participation in the World Baseball Classic, which impacted his conditioning. However, his strong comeback in 2024, where he consistently pitched with high effectiveness after overcoming injuries, further solidified his importance to the team as a reliable and dominant closer.

5.1. Family and Background

Taisei Ota's name, meaning "large crowd" or "momentum," was chosen because he was born about two weeks after his due date, and many people were eagerly anticipating his arrival. His family has strong ties to baseball; his grandfather and father are devoted Yomiuri Giants fans. Interestingly, Ota himself grew up as a Hanshin Tigers fan due to his Kansai upbringing.

His older sister, Akari Ota, is a track and field athlete who is six years his senior. His older brother, Katsuki, who is four years older, was the ace pitcher for Nishiwaki Technical High School when they made their first-ever Koshien appearance in the summer of 2013. Ota's mother is a passionate Chunichi Dragons fan and a particularly big admirer of outfielder Yohei Oshima. She once told Ota not to hit Oshima if they ever faced each other in a game. In a twist of fate, Ota's first professional appearance was against the Dragons, and he immediately faced Oshima, who got a hit off him, though Ota still secured the save. Ota also maintains a connection to his high school past, as he was a classmate of Nozomi Tanaka, who placed eighth in the 1500m at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

5.2. Baseball Preferences

Despite his family's strong allegiance to the Yomiuri Giants, Taisei Ota's upbringing in the Kansai region led him to become a childhood fan of the Hanshin Tigers. His mother, a fervent supporter of the Chunichi Dragons, especially admires Yohei Oshima, even playfully warning Taisei not to hit him if they ever faced each other professionally.

5.3. Public Persona and Fandom

Ota has developed a unique public image, fostering a strong connection with his fan base through social media. A tweet from his teammate Yuhei Takanashi that read "Taisei wa gachi" (大勢はガチ_{Taisei wa gachi}^Japanese, meaning "Taisei is serious" or "Taisei is the real deal") quickly became a viral hashtag among fans. Its popularity grew with Ota's success, eventually being adopted by the Giants' official Twitter account and even incorporated into official merchandise.

During the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Ota gained further public attention for his "Salt Bae"-like celebration, in contrast to the "Pepper Mill" celebration popularized by Lars Nootbaar. This led to the creation of another fan hashtag, "#Taisei wa Shio" (大勢は塩_{Taisei wa shio}^Japanese, meaning "Taisei is salt"), and also resulted in official Giants merchandise. Ota also has a close friendship with Hanshin Tigers pitcher Atsuki Yuasa, dating back to when they were teammates during the 2022 Japan national team warm-up games. Their strong bond is often highlighted by the media and on social media, earning them the nickname "Gachiatsu Combo" (ガチアツコンビ_{Gachiatsu Konbi}^Japanese), combining Ota's "Gachi" and Yuasa's "Atsu" (from his given name Atsuki).

6.1. Awards and Honors

• Rookie of the Year: 2022
• Tokyo Dome MVP: 2022
• World Baseball Classic Gold Medal: 2023
• WBSC Premier12 Silver Medal: 2024

6.2. Major Records and Milestones

• First Appearance, First Save:** March 25, 2022, against the Chunichi Dragons at Tokyo Dome. He became the 9th Japanese pitcher and 6th rookie in NPB history to achieve a save in their debut. He was also the first Giants pitcher to do so and only the second rookie in NPB history (after Yukihiko Yamaoki in 1982) to record a save in an opening day game.
• First Strikeout:** March 25, 2022, striking out Ryosuke Hirata in the same game.
• First Win:** April 9, 2022, against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows at Tokyo Dome, pitching a scoreless 10th inning.
• First Hold:** June 29, 2022, against the Chunichi Dragons at York Kaiseizan Stadium.
• First Rookie Pitcher to Record Saves in 2 Consecutive Opening Games:** A record in NPB history.
• First Pitcher to Record 7 Consecutive Saves from Debut:** An NPB record.
• Rookie Season 30 Saves:** Achieved in 2022, making him only the 4th rookie in NPB history to reach this milestone, following Tsuyoshi Yoda, Yasuaki Yamasaki, and Ryoji Kuribayashi.
• Season 37 Saves:** Achieved in 2022, tying the rookie record (shared with Yasuaki Yamasaki and Ryoji Kuribayashi).
• All-Star Game Selection:** Selected once (2022), but later withdrew due to COVID-19.
• Three Consecutive Seasons with Double-Digit Saves (Rookie-Present):** Achieved in 2024, a first for a Giants pitcher.

9.1. Pitching Statistics by Year

9.2. Fielding Statistics by Year

9.3. International Tournament Pitching Statistics