Takero Okajima

2.1. Amateur Career and Professional Entry

Okajima began his baseball journey in junior high school, playing for the hardball team Ota Boys. During his time at Kanto Gakuen University Affiliated High School, he served as the regular catcher from his sophomore year. In his second year, his team advanced to the best eight in the Gunma Prefectural Tournament during the summer. However, in his third year, they were eliminated in the third round of the Gunma Prefectural Tournament, and he did not participate in the national tournaments at Hanshin Koshien Stadium during his high school tenure.

After graduating from high school, Okajima enrolled in Hakuoh University. He began playing in the Kanto Shin Student League from the spring of his freshman year. In his sophomore year, he was selected for the Best Nine as an outfielder. By his junior year, he became the regular catcher, achieving significant success by winning the most RBIs title in the spring and the batting title in the autumn. In his senior year, he served as the team captain. During his university league career, he accumulated 108 hits and 8 home runs. Notable teammates from his time at Hakuoh University include Masayoshi Tsukada from the same year and Luciano Fernando, who was three years his junior.

On October 27, 2011, Okajima was selected by the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles in the fourth round of the 2011 NPB Draft. Although he was not initially high on Rakuten's priority draft list, he was unexpectedly chosen at the strong recommendation of then-manager Senichi Hoshino. This decision was influenced by information provided by Tasuke Fujikura, who was the coach of Hakuoh University's baseball team and a former infielder for the Hanshin Tigers. Okajima subsequently signed with the Eagles for an estimated 40.00 M JPY signing bonus and an annual salary of 8.00 M JPY. He was assigned the jersey number 27.

2.2. Professional Debut and Positional Transitions

In 2012, Okajima was the sole rookie to participate in the first-team spring training camp. Although he started the official season with the second team, he was promoted to the first team due to an injury to the regular catcher, Motohiro Shima. He made his professional debut as a catcher on June 20 against the Yokohama DeNA BayStars at Rakuten Kobo Stadium Miyagi. His first career home run came on July 4 against Yoshihisa Naruse of the Chiba Lotte Marines at QVC Marine Field. On August 26, he recorded his first career walk-off hit, an infield single, against the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters at Rakuten Kobo Stadium Miyagi. He achieved a second walk-off hit on September 8 against the Saitama Seibu Lions at the same stadium, this time as a pinch-hitter against Hideaki Wakui. This made him the first rookie since Takashi Kita (Lotte, 2002) to record two walk-off hits in a single season, and the first pinch-hit walk-off since Koji Machida (Hiroshima, 1992) in 1992. Furthermore, on September 5, he and fellow rookie Hiroaki Shimauchi hit back-to-back home runs against the Nippon-Ham Fighters at Tokyo Dome, marking the first time two rookies had homered in the same game since Yasutaka Ohno and Koji Yamaguchi of the Chunichi Dragons in 1989. Despite playing only 43 games in his debut season, he maintained a batting average of .258, demonstrating significant offensive potential for a catcher. He also started as the cleanup hitter and catcher for the Eastern League All-Star Game on July 19 at Hard-Off Eco Stadium Niigata.

In 2013, Okajima's promotion to the first team was delayed until May due to a right elbow injury. Initially, he started four games as a catcher. However, with regular catcher Motohiro Shima performing well offensively, Okajima's opportunities behind the plate were limited. During the interleague play period, he began practicing outfield defense, a position he had played during his second year of university. On May 24, he made his first professional appearance in the outfield (as a right fielder) against the Yomiuri Giants. He then made his first start as an outfielder (as a left fielder) on June 30 against the Orix Buffaloes. On July 29, during a team meeting, he directly appealed to manager Hoshino, stating, "Please use me anywhere!" From July 31, he became the regular leadoff batter and right fielder against the Seibu Lions at Komachi Stadium, taking over from Ryosuke Hirisawa. Despite playing only 79 games and not reaching the minimum number of plate appearances required for the Pacific League batting title, he achieved an impressive batting average of .323, an on-base percentage of .405, and an OPS of .790, contributing significantly to the Eagles' first-ever league championship.

2.3. Championship Contributions and Career Highlights

Okajima played a crucial role in the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles' historic 2013 season, which culminated in their first Pacific League championship and Japan Series title. In the 2013 Japan Series against the Yomiuri Giants, he appeared in all games as the leadoff batter. Despite a series batting average of .259, he delivered critical hits, including a go-ahead RBI single off Tetsuya Utsumi in Game 5 and another RBI single off Toshiya Sugiuchi in Game 7, helping to secure the team's victory. Following the team's Japan Series triumph, he was selected to represent the Japan national baseball team in exhibition games held in Taiwan against the Taiwan national team.

In 2014, Okajima's registered position was officially changed from catcher to outfielder on January 22. He primarily played in the outfield throughout the season. However, on July 1, during a game against the Orix Buffaloes at Kyocera Dome Osaka, where he started as the leadoff batter and right fielder, he unexpectedly moved to catcher from the eighth inning until the end of the game. This was necessitated by the team having used all available catchers on the bench. This marked his first time playing catcher in a first-team official game in approximately a year since July 27, 2013. Although the team finished last in the regular season, Okajima solidified his position as a regular outfielder and led the team with 154 hits, ranking fifth in the Pacific League.

The 2021 season marked a significant comeback and career highlight for Okajima. After joining the first team on April 10, he hit his first home run in 1071 days (nearly three years) on April 21 against Tsuyoshi Wada of the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks at PayPay Dome, starting as the eighth batter and left fielder. His playing time increased due to the delayed arrival of foreign players caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the struggles of Yuya Ogo, who was a candidate for the regular right field position. In May, he was in excellent form, achieving a monthly batting average of .398, which helped him re-establish himself as the regular fifth batter and right fielder. On October 13, he delivered a walk-off hit against Yuito Mori of the SoftBank Hawks at Rakuten Seimei Park Miyagi, marking his sixth career walk-off hit and tying the club record held by Ginji. He concluded the season with a batting average of .280, 8 home runs, and 56 RBIs, setting new career highs in both home runs and RBIs. Defensively, he recorded the top UZR among all outfielders across the 12 NPB teams. Following this successful season, he signed a new contract for an estimated 50.00 M JPY, an increase of 27.00 M JPY.

2.4. Injuries, Rehabilitation, and Positional Versatility

Okajima's career has been marked by a series of injuries and his remarkable adaptability in playing multiple positions. Following his 2013 right elbow injury, he transitioned to the outfield, a move that proved crucial for his career longevity and team contribution.

In 2015, after a slow start to the season and a batting average of .165 over 26 games, he was demoted to the second team on May 3. During his rehabilitation with the second team, he suffered a back injury, which kept him out of action for approximately two months. He returned to the first team on September 20 but finished the season with significantly reduced numbers across the board.

In 2016, despite a strong start to the season where he batted .317 in 15 games, he was placed on the disabled list on April 14 due to discomfort in his lower back, diagnosed as facet joint inflammation, though it was considered minor. He returned to the first team later that season.

The 2017 season saw Okajima suffer a more severe injury. While playing right field on July 23 against the Orix Buffaloes, he collided with the fence while chasing a fly ball in foul territory. This collision resulted in a left shoulder injury, diagnosed as a joint subluxation with a labral tear, forcing him to miss over a month of play. Despite this, he became the player representative after Ginji at the end of the season and even participated in catcher defense drills during the autumn camp, preparing for scenarios where only two catchers might be registered for the first team.

In 2018, Okajima started the season with the first team despite his lingering left shoulder injury. His batting average remained low, hovering around .200. However, he delivered a walk-off RBI single on May 17 against the SoftBank Hawks. On May 20, he played catcher for the first time in four years during a game against the Nippon-Ham Fighters. Although his starting opportunities decreased to 55 games due to Kazuki Tanaka establishing himself as the regular center fielder, he played catcher in three games. After the season, he resumed serious catcher defense practice during the autumn camp, considering a full return to the catcher position for the 2019 season.

In 2019, Okajima officially reverted his registered position from outfielder to catcher, and his jersey number changed back from 4 to 27. However, despite being the player representative, he started spring training with the second team. On February 12, he underwent surgery on his left shoulder for recurrent shoulder dislocation (arthroscopic Bankart repair), with an estimated recovery period of six months. Shortly after the start of the regular season, on April 5, he underwent another surgery, this time a cleaning procedure on his right elbow. Although he was expected to be out for six months after the shoulder surgery, he returned to play in the Eastern League as a catcher in late July. He appeared in 26 games in the Eastern League, batting .273, and caught in 12 games. This was the first season in his professional career where he did not make a single appearance in a first-team official game.

In 2020, Okajima participated in the first-team spring training camp. However, on February 23, he fractured his right thumb after a foul tip hit his hand while he was playing catcher in an open game against the Yomiuri Giants, causing him to miss the opening day roster. Despite this setback, he maintained a high batting average of .349 in 27 Eastern League games by late August. He made his first first-team appearance in two years on August 27 against the Chiba Lotte Marines, starting as the seventh batter and right fielder, contributing three hits, including a two-run RBI single, to help end the team's losing streak. Although he acquired domestic FA rights on October 15, he chose not to exercise them. He re-signed with the team for an estimated 23.00 M JPY, a decrease of 3.00 M JPY from the previous year. He played a career-low 35 games in the first team, with a batting average of .200, no home runs, and 9 RBIs. Given his lack of appearances as a catcher in the first team, his registered position was changed back to outfielder on December 22.

In 2022, Okajima's season was hampered by health issues from the start, causing him to miss spring training and begin the season with the second team. He was promoted to the first team on June 25 against the Saitama Seibu Lions. In July, he showed a resurgence, batting .310 and briefly re-establishing himself as the regular fifth batter and right fielder, similar to his performance in the previous year. However, his form gradually declined. On August 25, he suffered an unfortunate accident during a game against the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks at Rakuten Seimei Park Miyagi when a batted ball struck him in the head, forcing him out of the game. Fortunately, there was no bone damage. He finished the season having played 53 games, with a batting average of .214, 3 home runs, and 25 RBIs, though he maintained a respectable .333 batting average with runners in scoring position. In the offseason, he signed a new contract for an estimated 42.00 M JPY, an 8.00 M JPY decrease.

2.5. Recent Seasons and Milestones

In 2023, Okajima again started the season with the second team. However, he performed well in 15 second-team games, batting .333 with 2 home runs and 9 RBIs, leading to his promotion to the first team on April 14. On May 28, in a game against the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters at Rakuten Mobile Park Miyagi, he hit a pinch-hit walk-off single in the bottom of the 12th inning against Bryan Rodriguez, breaking a 2-2 tie. On September 13, against the Chiba Lotte Marines at ZOZO Marine Stadium, he hit a go-ahead RBI single in the seventh inning and, with the score tied 2-2 in the ninth inning with no outs and the bases loaded, he delivered a game-winning two-run RBI single off Naoya Masuda, contributing significantly to the team's victory. He concluded the season having played 114 games, with a batting average of .266, 6 home runs, and 43 RBIs, and a batting average of .317 with runners in scoring position. In the offseason, on December 7, he signed a new contract for an estimated 53.00 M JPY, an increase of 11.00 M JPY, plus incentives.

On May 24, 2024, Okajima reached a significant career milestone, playing in his 1000th professional game. He achieved this feat in a game against the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters at Rakuten Mobile Park Miyagi, starting as the sixth batter and left fielder, becoming the 529th player in NPB history to reach this milestone. As of the end of the 2024 season, he has played 31 games, batting .200 with 1 home run and 6 RBIs.

3.1. Batting and Baserunning

Okajima possesses strong hitting abilities, capable of hitting to all fields. He is also known for his speed, having recorded a 6.1 seconds in the 50-meter dash and a first-base arrival time of 4.02 seconds. In 2012, he demonstrated a remarkably high rate of infield hits, particularly for a catcher. His ability to hit in clutch situations is also notable, as evidenced by his multiple walk-off hits throughout his career.

3.2. Fielding

Okajima is equipped with a strong arm, capable of throwing 361 ft ^{(110 m)}. As a catcher, he is known for his quick release and efficient throwing motion. During a university Japan national team candidate camp, he recorded a second-base throw time in the 1.9-second range. Upon joining Rakuten, he transitioned to an outfielder from 2013 due to the presence of regular catcher Motohiro Shima. However, his versatility allowed him to occasionally return to catcher defense in the late innings of games when the team had exhausted its other catching options, such as in a 2014 game against the Orix Buffaloes. He was registered as a catcher again in 2019 but has been registered as an outfielder since 2021, showcasing his continued ability to adapt to team needs across different positions.

4.1. Marriage and Nickname

On November 27, 2016, Takero Okajima announced his marriage to Mayu Okamura, a former talent. Okajima is known by his distinctive nickname, "Jessica." This nickname originated from a polar bear-shaped body pillow that he purchased from Nitori, a Japanese furniture and home accessories retailer. He named the pillow "Jessica," and the name subsequently became his own popular nickname.

5.1. Statistical Records

• Statistics as of the end of the 2024 season.

; Catcher Fielding

; Infield Fielding

; Outfield Fielding

• Statistics as of the end of the 2024 season.

5.2. Awards and Honors

• All-Star Game selection: 1 time (2016)

; Career Milestones and Achievements

• First appearance: June 20, 2012, vs. Yokohama DeNA BayStars (Rakuten Kobo Stadium Miyagi), as catcher in the 6th inning.
• First at-bat: June 20, 2012, vs. Yokohama DeNA BayStars, against Shigeki Ushida in the 7th inning.
• First start: June 26, 2012, vs. Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (Tokyo Dome), as 8th batter and catcher.
• First hit: June 26, 2012, vs. Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, infield double against Masaru Takeda in the 2nd inning.
• First RBI: June 30, 2012, vs. Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks (Rakuten Kobo Stadium Miyagi), RBI single against Nagisa Arakaki in the 4th inning.
• First stolen base: June 30, 2012, vs. Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, stolen second base (pitcher: Nagisa Arakaki, catcher: Katsumi Yamazaki) in the 4th inning.
• First home run: July 4, 2012, vs. Chiba Lotte Marines (QVC Marine Field), solo home run against Yoshihisa Naruse in the 7th inning.
• 1000 games played: May 24, 2024, vs. Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (Rakuten Mobile Park Miyagi), starting as 6th batter and left fielder (529th player in history).

6.1. Jersey Number History

Throughout his professional career, Takero Okajima has worn the following jersey numbers:

• 27 (2012-2016, 2019-present)
• 4 (2017-2018)

7.1. Walk-up Songs

Takero Okajima has used various songs as his walk-up music during his professional career:

• "Nagareboshi ~Shooting Star~" by HOME MADE Kazoku (2012 - mid-2013)
• "Waratte Taiinda" by Ikimonogakari (mid-2013 - 2013)
• "Blue Bird" by Ikimonogakari (2014, for 2nd and 4th at-bats)
• "Ikenai Taiyo" by Orange Range (2014, for 1st and 3rd at-bats)
• "~player~" by UnReverse (2015)
• "Tsuyoku Tsuyoku" by mihimaru GT (2016)
• "LOVE 2000" by hitomi (2017)
• "PRIDE ~Kimi ga Kureta Mono~" by ET-KING (2017 - present)
• "SUNDAY" by The Baby Stars (2017 - present, used only on Sundays)