Hirobumi Watarai

Hirobumi Watarai (度会 博文)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 171 lb.

• School Chuo Gakuin University
• High School Yachiyo Shoin High School

• Born January 26, 1972 in Funabashi, Chiba Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Hirobumi Watarai played in Nippon Pro Baseball for 11 years. His son is NPB All-Star outfielder Ryuki Watarai.

Watarai hit .475 with 9 homers in his college career, and he won a MVP, four Best Nine awards and three batting titles. He was drafted by the Yakult Swallows in the 3rd round of the 1993 NPB draft, and he spent his first four seasons in the NPB Farm Leagues. Watarai played 85 games with a .263/.306/.366 batting line in 1998, being their most-used first baseman, just ahead of Eric Anthony, and playing some third until Shinya Miyamoto returned. He went 8-for-41 in 1999, and he had a .264/.304/.340 batting line in 2000. Watarai improved to .306/.306/.469 in 2001, and his batting line fell to .217/.261/.337 in 2002. He then went 12-for-40 in 2003, and he recorded a .283/.313/.350 batting line in 2004. Watarai slumped to .117/.131/.133 in 2005, and he was 10-for-28 in 2006. He played 68 games with a .205/.202/.250 batting line in 2007 and he announced his retirement after he went 0-for-3 in 2008. He later scouted for the Swallows.

Overall, Watarai hit .245/.276/.334 with 173 hits and 9 homers in 11 seasons in NPB.

Sources

• Wiki Japan