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Kensuke Kondoh

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Kensuke Kondoh
Kondoh with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks.
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks – No. 3
Catcher / Outfielder / Third baseman
Born: (1993-08-09) August 9, 1993 (age 31)
Midori-ku, Chiba, Japan
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
NPB debut
July 4, 2012, for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters
NPB statistics
(through 2024 season)
Batting average.307
Home runs97
Runs batted in605
Hits1,302
Teams
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing  Japan
World Baseball Classic
Gold medal – first place 2023 Miami Team
Summer Olympics
Gold medal – first place 2020 Tokyo Team
WBSC Premier12
Gold medal – first place 2019 Tokyo Team

Kensuke Kondoh (近藤 健介, Kondō Kensuke) is a Japanese professional baseball catcher, outfielder, and third baseman for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He has previously played in NPB for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.[1]

Career

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Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters

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Kondoh with the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters.

On October 27, 2011, Kondoh was drafted 4th round pick by the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in the 2011 Nippon Professional Baseball draft.[1]

He debuted in 2012 season with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. He had 7 runs.[2]

On May 30, 2014, Kondoh hit a grand slam home run in the interleague play against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows at the age of 20 years and 9 months, making him the youngest player in the Pacific League.[3] In 2014 season, he finished the regular season batted .258/.295/.386, with a 4 home runs, and a 28 RBIs in 89 games.

While not accumulating enough plate appearances to qualify for the batting title, Kondo hit .413 in 2017.

Kondoh was selected 2018 NPB All-Star game for the fiest time.[4] In 2018 season, he finished the regular season batted .3225/.427/.457 (3rd in the Pacific League), with a 9 home runs, and a 69 RBIs in 129 games, and he was selected for the Pacific League Best Nine Award for the first time at the NPB Awards 2018.[5]

On July 12, 2019, Kondoh participated the All-Star Game for the second time in Mynavi All-Star Game 2019.[6] Through 2019, he batted .304/.422 (Leader in the Pacific League.)/.400 in 138 games,[7] and he was honored the Pacific League OBP Leader Award for the first time at the NPB Awards 2019.[8]

In 2020 season, Kondoh finished the regular season batted .340 (3rd in the Pacific League.)/.465 (Leader.)/.469, with a 5 home runs, and a 60 RBIs in 108 games, and he was honored the Pacific League Best Nine Award and Pacific League OBP Leader Award for the second time at the NPB Awards 2020.[9]

In 2021 season, Kondoh finished the regular season batted .298/.413/.472, with a 11 home runs, and a 69 RBIs in 133 games, and he was named to his second consecutive the Pacific League Best Nine Award for the third time at the NPB Award 2021.[10]

On August 9, 2022, Kondoh recorded his first walk-off home run against the Saitama Seibu Lions.[11] In 2022 season, he finished the regular season batted .302/.418/.462, with a 11 home runs, and a 69 RBIs in 99 games.

Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks

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On December 12, 2022, it was announced that Kondoh would sign with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks on a seven-year deal worth 5 billion yen overall. His uniform number will be 3.[12][13]

In 2023, Kondoh would have career numbers in almost every category, slashing .303 (2nd in the Pacific League.)/.431(Leader.)/.528(Leader.), set the single-season Hawks franchise record for walks with 109,[14] hit a career record 26 home runs, 87 RBI, and played in all 143 games for the first time in his career.[15] He also won the Outstanding Player Award for his batting average of .413, 5 home runs, and 15 RBIs in interleague play.[16] In addition, he was named an All-Star for the third time, and won the a Fighting-spirit player Award in Game 1 of the Mynavi All-Star Game 2023.[17] This campaign got him close to winning an offensive Triple Crown, which would have made him the first player to win the offensive Triple Crown in the Pacific League since Nobuhiko Matsunaka in 2004, however a breakout season by Yuma Tongu ending in a close race for the Batting Title which Tongu won prevented him from winning it.

On November 28, 2023, Kondoh won the Pacific League Home run Leader Award with 26 home runs, the Pacific League RBI Leader Award with 87 RBI, his third the Pacific League OBP Leader Award with an OBP of .431, his fourth the Best Nine Award, and the Pacific League Golden Glove Award and is honored at the NPB Awards 2023.[18][19]

Kondoh made 129 appearances for Fukuoka in 2024, slashing .314/.439/.521 with 19 home runs, 72 RBI, and 11 stolen bases. Following the season, he was named the Pacific League MVP.[20]

International career

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Kondoh with the WBC Japan national team at Tokyo Dome on March 16, 2023

Kondoh represented the Japan national baseball team in the 2017 Asia Professional Baseball Championship, 2019 exhibition games against Mexico, and 2019 WBSC Premier12.

On February 27, 2019, he was selected at the 2019 exhibition games against Mexico.[21]

On October 1, 2019, he was selected at the 2019 WBSC Premier12.[22] He led the tournament with nine walks.[23]

On January 6, 2023, Kondoh was chosen to participate 2023 World Baseball Classic as a member of Japan national baseball team.[24]

He contributed to the team's championship with a batting average of .346, a 2 home runs, a OBP of .500, and an OPS of 1.115.[25]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Nikkan Sports baseball news 【日本ハム】ドラ4近藤と仮契約". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). November 13, 2011. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  2. ^ "Kensuke Kondo Japanese League Statistics & History - Baseball-Reference.com". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 2014-01-12.
  3. ^ "Nikkan Sports baseball news 近藤が張本超え ハム最年少満弾". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). May 30, 2014. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  4. ^ "マイナビオールスターゲーム2018 ファン投票結果". NPB.jp 日本野球機構 (in Japanese). June 26, 2018. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
  5. ^ "Full-count.jp baseball news 日本ハム近藤がDH部門でベストナイン初受賞 「ずっと取りたい賞だった」". Full-count.jp (in Japanese). November 26, 2018. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  6. ^ "Nippon Professional Baseball マイナビオールスターゲーム2019". NPB.jp (in Japanese). July 12, 2019. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  7. ^ "Kensuke Kondo Japanese Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2019-11-17.
  8. ^ "Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters team information 2019/11/26 (火) チーム NPBアワードで有原、宮西、近藤の3選手が表彰". Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters Official site (in Japanese). November 26, 2019. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  9. ^ "Sports Nippon baseball news 日本ハム・近藤 最高出塁率＆ベストナイン 中田の"感謝"に「やりがい」". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). December 18, 2023. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  10. ^ "Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters team information 2021/12/14 (火) チーム 近藤健介選手がベストナインに選出". Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters Official site (in Japanese). December 14, 2021. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  11. ^ "Sports Nippon baseball news 日本ハム・近藤、逆転サヨナラ3ラン 29歳バースデーをド派手に飾った!西武守護神・増田討ちで連勝". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). August 9, 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  12. ^ "近藤健介選手 入団のお知らせ". 福岡ソフトバンクホークス (in Japanese). 2022-12-12. Retrieved 2022-12-12.
  13. ^ "ソフトバンク、FA近藤健介の獲得を発表 藤本監督も熱望の補強「100％ハマる」". Full-Count. 2022-12-12. Retrieved 2022-12-12.
  14. ^ https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/b05940da098bd1a19d24493ed68fce24f48f4900?source=sns&dv=pc&mid=other&date=20231002&ctg=spo&bt=tw_up [bare URL]
  15. ^ "Kondoh,Kensuke（Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks） | Players".
  16. ^ "Nikkan Sports baseball news 【ソフトバンク】近藤健介が交流戦首位打者で優秀選手賞を受賞「うれしく思います」". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). June 22, 2023. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  17. ^ "Nippon Professional Baseball 「マイナビオールスターゲーム2023」第1戦 表彰選手". NPB.jp (in Japanese). July 19, 2023. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  18. ^ "Nikkan Sports baseball news 【NPBアワード】ソフトバンク近藤健介、FA1年目で「4冠」獲得「今後もより良い形を」". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). November 28, 2023. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  19. ^ "Nippon Professional Baseball 2023年度 三井ゴールデン・グラブ賞". NPB.jp (in Japanese). November 28, 2023. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  20. ^ "Baseball: Sugano, Kondo snare Japan's MVP honors". english.kyodonews.net (in Dutch). Retrieved November 30, 2024.
  21. ^ "ENEOS 侍ジャパンシリーズ2019「日本 vs メキシコ」に出場するメンバー28名が決定". 野球日本代表 侍ジャパン オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). February 18, 2019. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
  22. ^ "「ENEOS 侍ジャパンシリーズ2019」出場選手決定について". 野球日本代表 侍ジャパン オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). October 1, 2019. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  23. ^ "II Premier12 2019 - the official site - WBSC".
  24. ^ "Japan national baseball team press release 選手発表 2023 WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC 侍ジャパン 一部メンバーについて". Japan national baseball team Official site (in Japanese). January 6, 2023. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  25. ^ "pacific league.com baseball news 祝・WBC優勝! 日本代表に選出された、パ・リーグ戦士13名の活躍を振り返る". pacific league.com (in Japanese). March 28, 2023. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
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