Kazuto Taguchi

Kazuto Taguchi (田口 麗斗)

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 5' 7", Weight 165 lb.

• High School Hiroshima Shinjo Junior-Senior High School

• Born September 14, 1995 in Hiroshima, Hiroshima Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Kazuto Taguchi has pitched in Nippon Pro Baseball and for the Japanese national team.

Taguchi had a 6.75 ERA in three games in the 2013 U-18 Baseball World Cup for second-place Japan, fanning 9 in 5 1/3 IP. He did well in relief against Czechia and USA but struggled in a start against Canada (he did not take the loss as Japan rallied to win). Japan finished second. He was a third-round pick of the Yomiuri Giants in the 2013 NPB draft after Seiji Kobayashi in round one and Ren Wada in round two. He spent 2014 in the minors, going 2-0 with a 1.75 ERA in the Eastern League. He represented Japan in the 2014 U-21 Baseball World Cup. He split '15 between the big club (3-5, 2.71 in 13 G) and the farm (4-4, 3.47 in 12 G). In 2016, he became a mainstay of the Yomiuri rotation. He became their youngest lefty to win a complete game since Hisao Niura 45 years prior. He went 10-10 with a 2.72 ERA. He was 4th in the Central League in ERA (behind Tomoyuki Sugano, Kris Johnson and Yusuke Nomura). He also tied Hiroki Kuroda and Yuta Iwasada for 5th in wins and tied Atsushi Nohmi for 8th with 126 K.

The little left-hander kept on rolling. He made his first CL All-Star team for the 2017 NPB All-Star Games. Relieving Raúl Valdés in the 3rd with a 1-0 deficit against the Pacific League, he retired all six batters - Kenta Imamiya (K), Shogo Akiyama (GO), Hideto Asamura (GO), Shohei Otani (FO), Yuki Yanagita (K) and Nobuhiro Matsuda (LO) - the latter five being the top and middle of the PL lineup. Akitake Okada took over with a 1-1 tie. He was 13-4 with a 3.01 ERA for 2017. He had a 8-game winning streak, the best by a Yomiuri hurler under age 22 since Masumi Kuwata. He was 4th in the CL in wins (behind Sugano, Kazuki Yabuta and Miles Mikolas), 7th in ERA (between Takumi Akiyama and Daichi Osera) and was 7th in K (122, between Akiyama and Nohmi).

Taguchi then represented Japan in the 2017 Asia Professional Baseball Championship. He started in the final against South Korea, and he completed 7 shutout innings with 6 strikeouts to help Japan won Gold. He was the All-Star pitcher of the event. In 2018, he struggled (2-8, 4.80) and wound up back in the minors (2-0, 1.99 in 7 G). Moving to the bullpen in 2019, he was 3-3 with 14 holds, a save and a 4.13 ERA in 55 games for the big club, striking out 66 in 65 1/3 innings. He allowed three runs in 1 2/3 IP in the 2019 Japan Series as Yomiuri was swept by the Softbank Hawks.

Despite a lackluster '18-'19, he was picked for Japan's squad for the 2019 Premier 12. He got into three games. Against Australia, he relieved Shun Yamaguchi with a 2-1 deficit in the 5th. He retired David Sutherland and fanned Allan de San Miguel. Tim Kennelly singled but Andrew Campbell flew out. Takayuki Kishi relieved in the 6th. Facing defending champion South Korea, he saved Yudai Ono's 10-8 win. Taking over in the 9th for Kan Otake, he gave up a single to Hyun-soo Kim but got Byung-ho Park then Kyoung-min Hur hit into a double play. In the finale against South Korea, he again provided solid relief. He replaced Rei Takahashi in the 4th with a 4-3 lead. Hyun-soo Kim again greeted him with a single but he retired Eui-ji Yang and Byung-hun Min then Hur hit into a force. In the 5th, Sang-su Kim singled and Taguchi again recovered, getting Jung-hoo Lee on a fly and whiffing Ha-seong Kim but Sang-su Kim was caught stealing. Kota Nakagawa succeeded him as Japan held on to win the event.

Taguchi returned to the rotation in 2020, and he went 5-7 with a 4.63 ERA. The Giants then traded him to the Yakult Swallows for Taishi Hirooka, and he had a 5-9 record with a 4.02 ERA in 2021. He pitched 1/3 of a shutout inning in the 2021 Nippon Series Game 3, and he got a hold with 2/3 of a shutout inning in Game 3. Taguchi then completed 2/3 of a shutout inning with a hold in Game 6, and he won his first title as the Swallows defeated the Orix Buffaloes. He became a full-time reliever in 2022, and he notched 18 holds with a 1.25 ERA in 45 relief outings. He was named the Yakult closer in 2023, and he was selected into the 2023 NPB All-Star Game. Taguchi relieved Nik Turley in the 9th inning of Game 1, and he struck out Go Matsumoto first. Ryoya Kurihara then hit a single, and Taguchi forced Shuta Tonosaki to ground into a double play and end his work. He notched 33 saves with a 1.86 ERA in 50 relief outings, and he was 2nd in saves (3 behind Suguru Iwazaki).

The Hiroshima native made it onto Japan's roster for the 2023 Asia Professional Baseball Championship. Taguchi pitched a shutout inning versus Chinese Taipei, and he collected a save against South Korea though he gave up a solo shot to Whee-jip Kim. In the Gold Medal Game, he completed another shutout inning and Japan beat Korea again. He got 7 saves and 13 holds in 41 appearances in 2024, and he was 9th in saves. Taguchi extended his stable performance in 2025, and he notched 11 holds with a 2.76 ERA in 36 games.