Shinya Nakayama

Shinya Nakayama (中山 慎也)

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 0", Weight 180 lb.

• School Josai University
• High School Kiryu Minami High School

• Born February 22, 1982 in Ota, Gunma Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Shinya Nakayama pitched in Nippon Pro Baseball for 10 years.

Nakayama was winless in high school. After college, he played for JR Tokai. The Orix Buffaloes drafted him in the 5th round of the 2005 NPB draft. He made the club out of spring training but bounced between NPB and ni-gun, with a record of 2-3, 4.36 for the big club. In 2007, he was 1-0 with a 2.31 ERA in two starts in NPB, spending most of the season in the minors. He was farmed out to the North Shore Honu and led the Hawaii Winter League with six wins, earning All-Star honors. The Ota native struggled back in Japan in 2008 at 2-3, 6.45. He was even worse in 2009 - 0-4, 7.62 ERA, .356 opponent average, 17 BB in 26 IP. On May 1, he allowed 15 hits and 12 runs in a complete game loss to the Rakuten Golden Eagles. It was the first time in 22 years a Pacific League hurler had been allowed to go the distance when giving up that many runs. Shinya rebounded somewhat to 3-3, 3.83 in 2010.

In 2011, Nakayama was 8-9 with a save and a 2.94 ERA, showing good strides. He held opponents to a .227 average though he did walk a PL-worst 69 (in 156 1/3 IP). He also tied for 6th in losses, tied Shunsuke Watanabe for 9th in runs allowed (58), tied Watanabe for 4th in home runs (11), was 10th in strikeouts (119, between D.J. Houlton and Takahiro Shiomi) and was 6th in opponent average (between Tsuyoshi Wada and Chihiro Kaneko). Nakayama was moved to the bullpen in 2012, and he collected 14 holds with a 1-7 record and a 5.87 ERA in 53 relief outings. He struggled in 2013, and his ERA rose to 6.59 in 15 games. He then recorded a 2.34 ERA in 34 appearances in 2014, but he allowed 12 runs in 14 2/3 innings in 2015 and he announced his retirement.

Overall, Nakayama was 18-32 with a 3.82 ERA, struck out 395 and pitched 511 innings in 10 seasons in NPB. He threw a curveball, slider, changeup and fastball (peak in the high-80s).

Sources

• Japanbaseballdaily
• Wiki Japan