Kosuke Matsui

From BR Bullpen

Kosuke Matsui (松井光介)

Bats Right, Throws Right
Height 5' 8", Weight 176 lb.

School Asia University
High School Yokohama High School

Born August 24, 1978

Kosuke Matsui spent his third season with the Yakult Swallows in 2008.

Matsui pitched for the Japanese national team after college. He had a 3.68 ERA and two saves in the 2003 Baseball World Cup, allowing 4 hits in 7 1/3 IP. In the 2004 Haarlem Baseball Week, he allowed one run in 3 innings and fanned six. He pitched in the 2005 Asian Championship and the 2005 Baseball World Cup. In the 2005 World Cup, he excelled, going 1-0 with 2 saves and a 0.79 ERA and whiffing 14 in 11 1/3 IP. He saved wins over Australia and the USA and beat Nicaragua.

Matsui was drafted in the third round in 2006 by the Yakult Swallows. He pitched 40 games as a rookie, going 3-5 with a 4.08 ERA. In 2007, he fell to 1-3, 5.76 and allowed 59 hits in 45 1/3 IP. He went 1-2 with a 3.27 ERA in 27 games in 2008.