Toru Kusuki

Toru Kusuki (楠城 徹)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10", Weight 158 lb.

• School Waseda University
• High School Kokura High School

• Born December 22, 1950 in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Toru Kusuki played in Nippon Pro Baseball for 7 years. His son Yusuke Kusuki also played in NPB.

Kusuki was drafted by the Taiheiyo Club Lions in the 2nd round of the 1973 NPB draft, and he hit .146/.211/.268 in 48 games in his first season. He improved to .246/.313/.313 with 18 steals in 1975, and he was 9th in steals in the Pacific League (between Michiyo Arito and Jinten Haku). Kusuki played 61 games with a .219/.248/.281 batting line in 1976, and he was moved from catcher to the outfield after Yoshiharu Wakana shined in 1977. He hit .259/.284/.311 in 76 games that season, and he was 10-for-29 in 1978. Kusuki was 8-for-42 in 1979, and he announced his retirement after having a 2-for-18 record in 1980. He later scouted for the Lions, and he was their battery coach in 2000. He also coached Kyushu International University High School from 2014 to 2023.

Overall, Kusuki hit .230/.280/.301 with 168 hits and 9 homers in 7 seasons in NPB.

Sources

• Wiki Japan