Toru Otsuka

Toru Otsuka (大塚 徹)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 8", Weight 165 lb.

• High School Tsuchiura Third High School

• Born April 18, 1945 in Tsuchiura, Ibaraki Japan
• Died July 13, 2018

BR register page

Biographical Information

Toru Otsuka played in Nippon Pro Baseball for 11 years.

Otsuka signed with the Kokutetsu Swallows in 1964, and he only got 36 at-bats combined in his first three seasons. He was turned into an outfielder in 1968, and he played 58 games with a .270/.319/.342 batting line, Otsuka hit .230/.281/.254 in 75 games in 1969, and he recorded a .221/.264/.264 batting line in 1970. He played a career-high 102 games with a .229/.259/.278 batting line in 1971, and he was often used as platoon hitter against left-handed pitchers. The Nankai Hawks picked him in the active draft, and he hit .222/.279/.254 in 55 games in 1972. He was 3-for-17 in 1973, and he went 8-for-41 in 1974. Otsuka only got 5 at-bats in 1975, and he announced his retirement.

Overall, Otsuka hit .227/.273/.267 with 178 hits and 2 homers in 11 seasons in NPB.

Sources

• Wiki Japan