Akira Niho

Akira Niho (二保 旭)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 152 lbs.

• High School Kyushu International University High School

• Born May 18, 1990 in Yukuhashi, Fukuoka, Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Akira Niho pitched in Nippon Pro Baseball for 8 years.

Niho was drafted by the Softbank Hawks in the 2nd round of the development phase in the 2008 NPB draft, and he spent his first three seasons in the NPB Farm Leagues. He was 11-0 with a 1.44 ERA in the minors in 2012, and he led the Western League in wins and winning percentage. Niho also pitched 3 games for the big club, and his ERA was 1.50. He then went 0-1 with a 9.95 ERA for the Atenienses de Manati in the winter. His ERA was 6.00 in 5 games in 2013, and he didn't reach the top team in 2014; he had a 2.91 ERA in 33 relief outings in the minors that season.

The Fukuoka native broke out in 2015, and he notched 5 holds with a 6-1 record and a 3.25 ERA in 44 games. He won 3 votes in the PL Rookie of the Year voting. Niho then underwent Tommy John surgery, and he missed the entire 2016 and 2017 seasons. He got 4 holds with a 5.34 ERA in 35 appearances in 2018, and he went 1-4 with a 3.99 ERA in 2019. Niho then had a 4-5 record with a 4.92 ERA in 2020, and he pitched 2 games with a 4.76 ERA in 2021 before the Hawks traded him to the Hanshin Tigers for Masahiro Nakatani. Niho was 1-1 with a 4.28 ERA in the rest of the season, and he got placed in the minors before the Tigers released him in 2023. He tied Kento Marc Ishida's Western League record with 13 saves in a season in 2022. He then signed with the Chiba Lotte Marines in 2024, but he allowed 18 runs in 10 1/3 innings and he announced his retirement.

Overall, Niho was 13-12 with 9 holds and a 4.73 ERA, struck out 115 and pitched 230 innings in 8 seasons in NPB.

Sources

• Wiki Japan
• 2015 PL Rookie of the Year voting