Tomotaka Sakaguchi

1.1. Youth and High School Baseball

Tomotaka Sakaguchi was born in Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, and raised in Akashi, Hyōgo Prefecture. He began playing baseball at the age of seven, joining the "Hiyodoridai Lions" in softball. Initially, he played as a pitcher and was the cleanup hitter. During his time at Akashi Municipal Nozomi Junior High School, he played hardball for the Young League's "Kobe Dragons." His teammates included Takumi Kuriyama, who was one year his senior, and Megumi Kichida, who was two years his senior and later became the manager of the Japan Women's Baseball National Team.

Upon entering Kobe Kokusai University High School, Sakaguchi became the team's ace pitcher, wearing uniform number 1 from his first fall season. The team reached the top four in the Autumn Kinki Tournament. The following spring, he led his school to its first-ever appearance in the Koshien Tournament (73rd Senbatsu High School Baseball Tournament) as both the ace and the fifth batter. In his third year, while still wearing number 1, he primarily played as an outfielder. During the summer Hyōgo Prefectural Tournament, his team made a dramatic comeback in the semifinals against Amagasaki Municipal High School, overcoming a five-run deficit in the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs to secure a walk-off victory against a team led by Norihito Kaneto. Although they lost in the final to Hotoku Gakuen Junior and Senior High School, which featured players like Masaya Ozaki and Tomohisa Ohtani, Sakaguchi's team finished as runners-up. He recorded a high school career total of 23 home runs.

1.2. NPB Draft and Professional Debut

In the 2002 NPB draft, after failing to secure the negotiation rights for Yuhei Takai, the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes selected Tomotaka Sakaguchi as their first-round pick. He became the first professional baseball player from Kobe Kokusai University High School and notably, the last first-round draft pick for the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes before their merger. Recognizing his batting ability as a cleanup hitter, as well as his swiftness and strong arm, he was converted to an outfielder. In 2003, his rookie year, he achieved a batting average of .302 in the Western League (minor league) and made his first appearance in a top-level game, becoming the eighth high school position player in franchise history to debut in the first year after being drafted. He also recorded his first hit in this debut.

2.1. Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes (2003-2004)

Sakaguchi spent his initial two professional seasons with the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes. In 2003, he made his professional debut and recorded his first hit on October 7 against the Orix BlueWave at Yahoo!BB Stadium. He started as the leadoff hitter and center fielder, hitting an infield single off Mac Suzuki in the first inning. He continued to develop in the minor leagues, playing primarily in the Western League. By 2022, Sakaguchi was the last active NPB player to have played for the Kintetsu Buffaloes, a testament to his longevity.

2.2. Orix Buffaloes (2005-2015)

Following the merger of the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes and the Orix BlueWave in 2005, Sakaguchi was allocated to the newly formed Orix Buffaloes as part of a measure for players within two years of their professional debut. In 2005, he recorded a .285 batting average and 13 stolen bases in the minor league. He continued to hone his skills, playing 54 games in the minor league in 2006, where he hit .328 with 12 stolen bases, and was dispatched to the Hawaii Winter League during the offseason.

In 2007, Sakaguchi's strong performance in spring training earned him praise from manager Terry Collins, who stated that "there is no other leadoff hitter besides him while Keiichi Hirano is out." He made his first career Opening Day start as the leadoff hitter and center fielder, hitting the team's first hit of the season in the first inning. Though he was demoted to the minor league in early May due to a hitting slump, he regained his form and re-established himself as a regular in the latter half of the season, maintaining a batting average close to .300 from September onwards and recording multiple-hit games.

The 2008 season saw Sakaguchi solidify his position as a regular. He was again named the leadoff hitter on Opening Day and maintained good form in the first half. Despite a decline in batting average and an increase in strikeouts later in the summer, he appeared in 142 games-the most on the team, tied with Tuffy Rhodes-primarily as the leadoff or second batter, and reached the plate appearance requirement for the first time. He led the team with 6 triples and 13 stolen bases (tied with Mitsutaka Goto) and was second in hits, sacrifice bunts, and sacrifice flies. Notably, he was a "grand slam man," hitting .857 (6-for-7) with 11 RBIs in 9 plate appearances with the bases loaded. Defensively, he recorded 7 assists, ranking third among outfielders in the league, earning him his first Golden Glove Award. However, challenges remained, such as a low on-base percentage for an average-type hitter due to a low number of walks and hit-by-pitches, as over half of his plate appearances ended in a swing on the first three pitches, and a mere .232 batting average against left-handed pitchers.

In 2009, Sakaguchi's personal cheering song replaced the generic one for former Kintetsu players. Despite a strong .349 batting average in spring training, he started the season in a slump, hitting in the .100s until early May, which led to former Kintetsu teammate Naoyuki Ohmura taking over the leadoff spot. Sakaguchi gradually recovered, reclaiming the leadoff position in June. From May onwards, he hit over .300 in every month except July, recording a .386 batting average in August and becoming only the second player in franchise history, after Ichiro Suzuki, to achieve 40 hits in a month. He finished the season leading the team with 137 games played, hitting .317 (second in the league) as the only player to reach the batting average requirement with over .300. He also recorded 167 hits (second in the league) and 16 stolen bases (team-high, 10th in the league), surpassing his previous career high. His on-base percentage improved to .381 (sixth in the league), and his batting average against left-handers rose to .297, addressing prior weaknesses. Defensively, he led the league with 14 assists and ranked second in fielding percentage, earning his second consecutive Golden Glove Award for his outstanding performance in a struggling team. That offseason, his uniform number was changed to 9. On December 21, he participated in a charity match for the 15th anniversary of the Great Hanshin earthquake, playing for the "Ganbarō Kobe Dreams" team, comprised of local players and former Orix BlueWave alumni.

In 2010, Sakaguchi aimed for full-inning participation as the leadoff hitter but was benched after only 12 games due to a hitting slump. However, he made a significant impact in the first game of the Interleague Play on May 12 against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, hitting a game-winning triple in the top of the tenth inning to secure the team's first victory against Yakult in two years. On June 7, against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, he led off a professional baseball record 10 consecutive hits, batting twice in one inning. He was even considered for the Interleague Play MVP with a .389 batting average. Despite a slump in July (hitting .213 with a .539 OPS), leading to his first demotion to the minor league in three years, he rebounded to a .300 batting average after his return. He finished the season with a .308 average, his second consecutive season batting over .300, and achieved his third consecutive Golden Glove Award and 150 hits. He led the league with 10 triples and received the JA Zen-Noh Go-Go Award (Most Doubles and Triples) in August for his 10 doubles and 6 triples that month.

The 2011 season was a career highlight for Sakaguchi. He played in all 144 games, appearing in every inning, and led the Pacific League in hits with 175. While he started the season slowly, his performance surged during interleague play, where he hit .412, winning the Interleague batting title, most hits, and most runs, and earning the Nippon Life Award. He maintained a batting average above .300 for much of the season, contending for the batting title, but a late-season slump of 17 consecutive at-bats without a hit dropped his final average to .297. Nevertheless, he excelled as a leadoff hitter, leading the league in hits and tied for most triples, ranking third in runs, fifth in walks, seventh in batting average, and eighth in on-base percentage. Defensively, he recorded a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage, ranked third in fielding opportunities, and fifth in assists, showcasing his speed and strong arm, earning his fourth consecutive Golden Glove Award. He also received his second consecutive JA Zen-Noh Go-Go Award (Most Doubles and Triples) in September.

In 2012, Sakaguchi was selected for the East Japan Great Earthquake Reconstruction Support Baseball Match against Taiwan on March 10, entering the game in the fourth inning and contributing with 1 hit and 1 walk in 2 at-bats. He started as the leadoff hitter and center fielder on Opening Day but struggled early in the season with both his hitting and defense, leading to being benched on May 5 against the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, ending his streak of 179 consecutive full-inning games that began on September 19, 2010. His struggles continued, and on May 17, against the Yomiuri Giants, he suffered a right shoulder acromioclavicular joint dislocation and ligament rupture while making a diving catch in the first inning, forcing a long absence. Although a return was considered unlikely, he rejoined the Western League in a game against the Chunichi Dragons on September 7 (a return manager Akira Okada only learned of during a first-team game). However, as his shoulder was not strong enough for defensive throws, he primarily played as a designated hitter or pinch hitter in minor league games. He was reinstated to the first team on October 5 and made his return as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning against the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, hitting a decisive RBI single off Kenji Otonari. He also recorded a hit as a pinch hitter on October 7 against the Saitama Seibu Lions. He was limited to a career-low 40 games since becoming a regular, making his absence a significant blow to the struggling team. That offseason, he was appointed vice player representative for Orix alongside Hikaru Ito, and subsequently became the player representative after Keiji Obiki was traded.

In 2013, Sakaguchi played as player representative but struggled from the start of the season. His performance did not improve into the summer, and he was deactivated in August due to a lower back strain, returning late in the season. He ultimately played in 97 games, falling short of the required plate appearances by six.

In 2014, for the first time in eight years, Sakaguchi did not start on Opening Day, but he appeared in 122 first-team official games, exceeding 100 games for the first time in three years. Despite a general slump similar to the previous year, with Tadayoshi Kawabata often taking his starting spot from August onwards, he displayed clutch hitting in key situations, recording 40 RBIs in fewer plate appearances than the previous year. He acquired domestic free agent rights during the season but chose to remain with Orix after two rounds of negotiations with the club.

In 2015, Sakaguchi again started the season as a regular in the first team and was temporarily used as the third batter. On April 18, he hit his only home run of the year at Hotto Motto Field Kobe against the Saitama Seibu Lions while wearing a replica uniform of the Orix BlueWave from 1995, the year of the Great Hanshin Earthquake, an event that inspired him to become a professional player. However, he was removed from the active roster on May 11 and did not return to the first team due to a right elbow injury sustained shortly after. In September, he was offered a significant pay cut by the team, exceeding the reduction limit under the Baseball Agreement. Sakaguchi declined the offer and requested to become a free agent. On October 1, just before the end of the season, the team announced his departure. Following this, the Tokyo Yakult Swallows began investigating acquiring him.

2.3. Tokyo Yakult Swallows (2016-2022)

On November 13, 2015, the Tokyo Yakult Swallows announced an agreement to acquire Tomotaka Sakaguchi. His estimated annual salary was 30.00 M JPY, a 45.00 M JPY reduction from his final salary with Orix (75.00 M JPY). Significantly, Sakaguchi chose to wear uniform number 42, a number often avoided by Japanese players due to its association with death, stating his intention to honor Jackie Robinson (whose number 42 is retired across MLB). Despite receiving offers from multiple teams, Sakaguchi chose Yakult without hesitation, having decided to join the team that contacted him first.

In 2016, Sakaguchi performed exceptionally well in spring training, hitting .415 with 6 RBIs and 2 stolen bases in 19 games, securing a regular outfield spot. He remained with the first team throughout the season, leading the team with 141 games, primarily as the leadoff or second batter, and reaching the league's final plate appearance requirement for the first time in five years since 2011 with Orix. He achieved his 1000th career game appearance on June 2 against the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters at Sapporo Dome, and his 1000th career hit on June 8 against the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles at Kobo Stadium Miyagi. For the season, he batted .295 and recorded a career-high 63 walks, focusing on getting on base, resulting in a .375 on-base percentage (seventh in the Central League). However, he finished the season without a single home run, a first for him in a season where he qualified for the plate appearance minimum.

In January 2017, before spring training, Sakaguchi signed an advisory staff contract for baseball equipment with Rawlings. He played in 136 first-team games during the regular season. Despite the team finishing last in the Central League for the third time in four years, Sakaguchi was a consistent performer, leading all players who reached the plate appearance minimum with a .290 batting average, 4 home runs, and a .364 on-base percentage. Having reached 4,000 career at-bats during the season, his name was added to the NPB all-time batting average rankings. Following the season, he returned to being a 100.00 M JPY player for the first time in five years since 2012 with Orix, signing a contract reflecting the "maximum evaluation" of his performance.

In 2018, Norichika Aoki, who had played six seasons in MLB after his time with Yakult, returned to the team during spring training. With Aoki slated for his former position as the regular center fielder, manager Atsushi Ogawa initially considered moving Yuhei to first base. However, newly appointed head coach Shinya Miyamoto expressed concerns about Yuhei's height. Miyamoto then noted Sakaguchi's height (71 in ^{(181 cm)}) and proposed moving him to first base, a position Sakaguchi had not played since middle school. In the regular season, he started as the "6th batter, first baseman" in the Opening Day game against the Yokohama DeNA BayStars at Yokohama Stadium on March 30, and went on to play 98 first-team games at first base. Offensively, he consistently hit for average, including a game-winning hit. While he often batted in the lower part of the lineup in the first half, he became the leadoff hitter around July, forming a powerful combination with Aoki (batting second). He played in 139 first-team games overall, batting .317 (ninth in the Central League), exceeding .300 for the first time in eight years since 2010 with Orix. He also recorded a career-high .406 on-base percentage. At the end of the season, he signed a three-year contract starting in 2019, with a variable annual salary based on performance, starting from an estimated 140.00 M JPY.

In 2019, Sakaguchi faced a series of accidents from spring training, including being hit in the side by a throw during defense and hitting his eye with a foul tip. He started as the "1st batter, first baseman" in the Opening Series against Hanshin Tigers at Kyocera Dome Osaka. However, in his fourth at-bat in the bottom of the eighth inning of the third game on March 31, he was hit by a pitch from Hiroya Shimamoto on his left hand and had to leave the game. He was diagnosed with a fractured left thumb and removed from the active roster on April 1. He returned to the first team on May 17 but struggled to regain his delicate batting feel due to the fracture. He was again removed from the roster on June 9 and spent the rest of the season in the minor league. He appeared in 22 first-team games, playing 10 games at first base and 9 in the outfield, but his batting suffered significantly, hitting just .125 with 0 home runs and 2 RBIs. Despite completing the first year of his three-year contract, his salary was reduced to an estimated 115.00 M JPY (a 25.00 M JPY decrease from the previous year) on December 5, as per the performance-based terms.

In 2020, Sakaguchi achieved his 1500th career hit on October 19 against the Hanshin Tigers at Hanshin Koshien Stadium, becoming the 129th player in NPB history to do so. He appeared in 114 games, reaching the plate appearance qualification for the first time in two years, and recorded a career-high 9 home runs.

In 2021, Sakaguchi started the season as a regular but sustained an injury in the third game on March 28. After rehabilitation in the minor league, he hit .438 in exhibition matches during the Olympic break and rejoined the first team when the league season resumed on August 14. Although he suffered another injury in September from a hit-by-pitch, he was limited to 25 regular-season games. Nevertheless, in his 19th professional season, he experienced his first league championship. In the 2021 Japan Series against his former team, the Orix Buffaloes, he made his first appearance in Game 2, starting as the ninth batter and right fielder, and recorded a left-field single off Hiroya Miyagi. He played in a total of four games, contributing to the team's first Japan Series title in 20 years.

In 2022, Sakaguchi started spring training in the minor league but was called up to the first team on June 9 for a game against the Orix Buffaloes, starting as the sixth batter and left fielder, where he recorded a walk and a double. In June, he showed strong presence with a .350 batting average and a .458 on-base percentage, even batting fifth behind Munetaka Murakami in some games. However, his performance declined from July, and he was removed from the active roster on August 8. He continued to train in the minor league before announcing his retirement on September 29. On October 3, in the regular season's final game against the DeNA BayStars, he started as the second batter and right fielder and recorded his final career hit, a single to left field, in his first at-bat. In the post-game retirement ceremony, held jointly with Seiichi Uchikawa and Motohiro Shima, he received flowers from his family and a surprise guest, Kazuki Kondo.

2.4. Retirement

Tomotaka Sakaguchi officially announced his retirement from professional baseball on September 28, 2022. His final game took place on October 3, 2022, as part of the regular season finale against the Yokohama DeNA BayStars. In this game, he started as the second batter and right fielder, and in his first at-bat, he hit a single to left field, marking his last career hit. A joint retirement ceremony was held after the game, honoring Sakaguchi along with Seiichi Uchikawa and Motohiro Shima, who also retired that year. During the ceremony, he received flowers from his family and a surprise appearance from former teammate Kazuki Kondo.

5.1. Personality and Interests

From a young age, Sakaguchi admired former baseball player Tsuyoshi Shinjo, keeping Shinjo's posters at home. His decision to wear red wristbands professionally was also influenced by Shinjo. In 2004, he met Shinjo in person and keeps a bat received from him displayed at home. This admiration, coupled with his renewed appreciation for fans during the 2004 professional baseball realignment issue, made him very active in fan service.

He regarded fellow 2002 draft pick Hiroaki Ohnishi as an older brother figure. After Ohnishi's transfer to the Yokohama DeNA BayStars, Ohnishi, who was a "exclusive public relations manager" for the "Seya-nen!" TV show (Mainichi Broadcasting System), named Sakaguchi as his "second generation exclusive public relations manager." In a December 13, 2008, broadcast, both appeared live in the studio. Ohnishi described Sakaguchi as a "mischievous rascal but extraordinarily passionate about baseball."

During his time with Orix, Sakaguchi directly requested to become an apprentice to So Taguchi, a former regular outfielder for the Orix BlueWave (who later became a minor league manager from 2016). This led to them training together in the offseason until Taguchi's retirement in 2012. They were even teammates from 2010, when Taguchi returned to Orix, until his departure in 2011.

His favorite movie is "Whisper of the Heart" (from Studio Ghibli), and he expressed a desire to create a "Ghibli room" at home if he had children. He described his ideal woman as homely, a good cook, and laid-back, naming TV personality Sarina Suzuki as an example.

In high school, Sakaguchi was a street musician. He performed two street concerts after becoming a professional, but stopped after Hisashi Iwakuma reportedly saw him performing in front of Tennoji Station.

5.2. Public Perception and Symbolic Number 42

During his prime with Orix, Sakaguchi was considered a "fashion leader" in baseball, known for his blonde hair and mustache. In October 2011, he released his first official photo book through "PHOcho+," a photo book editing site. In 2015, he made his debut as a fashion model in "Cazi Cazi H (Hair)," a hair fashion quarterly magazine. However, upon his transfer to Yakult at the end of the 2015 season, he completely changed his image. On November 30, he dyed his hair black and shaved his mustache for his entrance press conference, stating, "I've forgotten my blonde (Orix) days. Yakult has a refreshing image, so I'll maintain this style for a while."

Regarding his decision to leave Orix in 2015, Sakaguchi commented that despite struggling since his shoulder injury in 2012, he felt a renewed sense of confidence in 2015 and wanted to "compete from scratch as a baseball player with just my bat and glove." On the other hand, Orix General Manager Ryuzo Setoyama stated upon Sakaguchi's departure, "We recognize Sakaguchi as a 'contributor,' but [the baseball world] is not a place where you pay money for that alone. As a team operator, you have to be tough where necessary." At his Yakult entrance press conference, Sakaguchi expressed his determination, stating, "I can only be grateful for being picked up [by Yakult]. Now that I've signed the contract, I have a strong feeling that I absolutely have to perform."

At Yakult, Sakaguchi chose to wear uniform number 42, the same number worn by Jackie Robinson, the first African American player in MLB, whose number is permanently retired across all MLB teams. Sakaguchi stated his intention to emulate Robinson, hoping to "play so well that even after I retire, other players will want to inherit my uniform number." Takehiro Ishikawa (DeNA infielder), who was previously managed by the same company as Sakaguchi, also changed his uniform number to 42 from number 7 for the 2020 season, citing Sakaguchi as a "respected senior."

Sakaguchi expressed fondness for his Orix cheering song, stating he liked "both the lyrics and the melody." This cheering song was notably inherited by Tomoya Noguchi in October 2023, who also wears number 9 and has a similar name.

9.1. Batting Statistics

• Bold indicates league leader in that category.

9.2. Fielding Statistics

• Bold indicates league leader in that category.
• Bold year indicates Golden Glove Award season.