Yohei Kagiya

Yohei Kagiya (鍵谷 陽平)

• Bats Right Throws Right
• Height 5' 9", Weight 176 lb.

• School Chuo University
• High School Hokkai High School

• Born September 23, 1990 in Kameda-gun, Hokkaido Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Yohei Kagiya pitched in Nippon Pro Baseball for 12 years.

Kagiya was drafted by the Nippon Ham Fighters in the 3rd round of the 2012 NPB draft, and he collected 5 holds with a 3.33 ERA in 38 games games in his first season. He got 2 holds with a 2.20 ERA in 21 appearances in 2014, and he notched 15 holds with a 4.67 ERA in 2015. Kagiya then recorded a 4.23 ERA in 28 games in 2016, and he appeared in the 2016 Nippon Series. He pitched a shutout inning in Game 1, 2/3 of an inning with a run allowed in Game 2 and he allowed a solo shot to Yoshihiro Maru in 2 innings in Game 6. The Fighters beat the Hiroshima Carp in 6 games, and Kagiya won his only title.

The Hokkaido native improved to a 2.53 ERA with 17 holds in 60 games in 2017, and he slumped to a 4.28 ERA in 28 games in 2018. Kagiya struggled again in 2019 as his ERA was 5.94 in 18 games, and he was traded with Takahiro Fujioka to the Yomiuri Giants for Mitsuo Yoshikawa and Shingo Usami in June. It was the first trade in NPB during the Reiwa era. Kagiya bounced back after changing teams, and his ERA was 3.00 in 27 games for the Giants. He pitched 1/3 of a shutout inning in the 2019 Japan Series. He notched 13 holds with a 2.89 ERA in 46 games in 2020, and he relieved Kazuto Taguchi in the 7th inning of Game 2. However, he allowed a grand slam to Alfredo Despaigne, and the Softbank Hawks swept the Giants.

Kagiya pitched 59 games with a 3.19 ERA and 15 holds in 2021, and he was 9th in appearances in the Central League (tied with Kazuki Mishima). In the 6th inning of the 2021 CLCS first stage Game 2, he forced Jefry Marte to ground out when bases were loaded, and the Giants eliminated the Hanshin Tigers. Kagiya pitched 1/3 of an shutout inning in the final stage Game 2, but the Yakult Swallows swept the Giants. He only pitched 21 games with a 3.71 ERA in 2022, and he recorded a 3.18 ERA in 13 appearances in 2023. The Giants released him, and the Fighters picked him back up. However, Kagiya only had one appearance with the big club in 2024, and he announced his retirement.

Kagiya's repertoire featured a fastball that peaks at 95.6 mph, a slider, forkball and a palmball. Overall, he was 25-15 with a 3.45 ERA, collected 84 holds and 7 saves in 420 appearances, struck out 324 and pitched 398 2/3 innings in 12 seasons in NPB. As of 2025, he is tied with Masafumi Hirai, Yoshinori Tateyama, Ryuji Ichioka and Shinichiro Koyama for 63th in holds in NPB history.

Sources

• Wiki Japan