Hiroki Tokoda

From BR Bullpen

Hiroki Tokoda (床田 寛樹)

  • Bats Left, Throws Left
  • Height 5' 11", Weight 167 lbs.

BR register page

Biographical Information[edit]

Hiroki Tokoda has played in Nippon Pro Baseball.

Tokoda was drafted by the Hiroshima Carp in the third round of the 2016 NPB draft, and he spent his first two seasons mainly in the NPB Farm Leagues, only pitching 3 games combined with the big club.[1] He joined the rotation in 2019, and had a 7-6 record with a 2.96 ERA. Tokoda was selected into the 2019 NPB All-Star Game as a rookie, and he pitched a shutout inning in Game 2. He got 1 votes for the 2019 Central League Rookie of the Year Award, finishing third behind Munetaka Murakami's 168 votes and Koji Chikamoto's 139.[2]

The Amagasaki native struggled in 2020 as his ERA rose to 4.93, and he bounced back soon in 2021. Tokoda was 5-4 with a 3.19 ERA in 2021, then improved to 8-6 with a 2.84 ERA in 2022. He was the starter of 2022 NPB All-Star Game 2, but Kotaro Kiyomiya hit a leadoff single and Yuki Yanagita added another single after he retired Yurisbel Gracial. Tokoda forced Brandon Laird to ground into a double play to escape the jam, but he then gave up an infield single to Hiroaki Shimauchi in the next inning. Taisei Makihara added a single, and Kou Matsukawa's single drove in the Pacific League's first run. Tokoda retired Hiroto Kobukata to complete his work, and ended up with a no-decision; Yudai Ono succeeded him. [3]

The southpaw had his career year so far in 2023. He was 11-7 with a 2.19 ERA, ranked 3rd in ERA (.44 behind Shoki Murakami), 4th in wins (5 behind Katsuki Azuma) and 2nd in shutouts (1 behind Aren Kuri). He pitched 5 1/3 innings with 2 runs allowed in the first stage of the 2023 CLCS against the Yokohama BayStars, and ended up with a no-decision. Yokoda then dueled with Hanshin's Kotaro Otake in the second stage, but he allowed 3 runs in 6 innings, and got the loss. The Carp were swept by the Tigers, and his postseason ended.[4]

Tokoda was selected into the 2024 NPB All-Star Game, and he relieved Shosei Togo in the 4th inning of Game 2. However, he allowed three straight singles to Sosuke Genda, Ukyo Shuto and Chusei Mannami, then Kensuke Kondoh added a RBI single. Hotaka Yamakawa drove in a run with a grounder, and Tokoda gave up another run due to Ryoya Kurihara's sacrifice fly. He then walked Ryosuke Tatsumi, and Toshiya Satoh hit a RBI triple. He finally retired Shuta Tonosaki to end the inning, and Daichi Osera relieved him. Tokoda went 11-9 with a 2.48 ERA in 2024, and he was 6th in runs (52, tied with Sotaro Shimauchi and Kotaro Otake), 7th in ERA (between Azuma and Masato Morishita) and 4th in innings (167, between Hiroto Saiki and Tomoyuki Sugano). Tokoda shut out the Chunichi Dragons on May 23, 2025 without a strikeout, and he was the first CL pitcher to do that since Kazuya Yano in 1989. He ended up 9-12 with a 3.15 ERA, and he led the league in shutouts (3), completed games (6) and starts (26). He was 10th in ERA, 3rd in innings (171 1/3, between Hiroto Takahashi and Azuma) and 7th in wins (tied with Otaka and Anthony Kay).

Tokoda's repertoire included a fastball (peak 94.4 mph), slider and palmball.

Sources[edit]