CPBL Foreign Players Updates Volume #339
TSG Hawks News: Yoshida Kazumasa
On August 1, the TSG Hawks announced the signing of 34-year-old Japanese right-hander Yoshida Kazumasa (吉田一将) from Japan’s NPB minor league (Eastern League).
Yoshida Kazumasa began his professional career with the NPB’s Orix Buffaloes as their first-round pick in 2013. Between 2014 and 2020, he was active in the NPB, posting a career 3.74 ERA and 1.22 WHIP over 341.1 innings.
In 2022, after leaving the NPB system, Yoshida Kazumasa joined the Niigata Albirex Baseball Club of the BC League (Japanese independent league). With the NPB expanding their minor leagues in 2024, Yoshida Kazumasa suddenly found himself back in the NPB system once again, as Niigata Albirex Baseball Club now became a new expansion team of the NPB minor league under the new banner Oisix Niigata Albirex Baseball Club.
Leading up to this signing with the TSG Hawks, Yoshida Kazumasa has appeared in 34 games in the NPB minor league and posted a 2.21 ERA and 1.06 WHIP over 36.2 innings.
As of today, the TSG Hawks currently have Kento Onodera (injured), Nick Margevicius, Steven Moya, Reymin Guduan, Bradin Hagens, Ljay Newsome and Yoshida Kazumasa as their foreign players. It is worth noting that Kento Onodera has a torn ligament in his right elbow and will be out for the remainder of the 2024 season.
Further Readings
Foreign players come and go. Therefore, we have compiled a tracker to monitor all foreign player signings for the 2024 CPBL season.
With the regular season now over, Venezuelan Erick Leal and former CPBLer Tyler Viza look like the most promising CPBL prospects from the Mexican league for 2025. Both will be 30 in 2025. I imagine that CPBL teams will be watching closely what these two do in the Winter Leagues this coming season.
I think some teams should give Tyler Viza, Tanner Anderson, Stephen Woods Jr and Scott Blewett, another chance. Also Ryan Weiss, who is currently in the KBO is another player worth looking into to bring back for 2025.