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==Tokyo Yakult Swallows==
==Tokyo Yakult Swallows==
Despite not getting a lot of media exposure from appearances in national games, he was drafted in the first round of the [[2017 Nippon Professional Baseball draft|2017 NPB Draft]] by the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, Yomiuri Giants and the Rakuten Golden Eagles, as an alternative pick after losing Kotaro Kiyomiya to the Nippon Ham Fighters.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nikkansports.com/baseball/news/201710260000596.html |title=ヤクルトは外れ1位で九州学院・村上 3球団競合 |publisher=[[Nikkan Sports]] |date=2017-10-26 |accessdate=2018-09-02}}</ref> The Swallows won the lottery, and signed him for a contract of 80 million yen and a 7.2 million yen annual salary. He was assigned jersey number 55.<ref name= "nikkan171112"/>
Despite not getting a lot of media exposure from appearances in national games, he was drafted in the first round of the [[2017 Nippon Professional Baseball draft|2017 NPB Draft]] by the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, Yomiuri Giants and the Rakuten Golden Eagles, as an alternative pick after they lost [[Kōtarō Kiyomiya]] to the Nippon Ham Fighters.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nikkansports.com/baseball/news/201710260000596.html |title=ヤクルトは外れ1位で九州学院・村上 3球団競合 |publisher=[[Nikkan Sports]] |date=2017-10-26 |accessdate=2018-09-02}}</ref> The Swallows won the lottery, and signed him for a contract of 80 million yen and a 7.2 million yen annual salary. He was assigned jersey number 55.<ref name= "nikkan171112"/>


'''2018'''
'''2018'''


He spent most of the season playing in Eastern League (minors) games. He batted at .311 in 28 games until the end of April, with 3 home runs and 20 RBI.<ref>{{Cite news |title=【球界ここだけの話(1258)】ヤクルトD1・村上宗隆、イースタンで不動のレギュラー 三木2軍チーフコーチが魅力を語る |newspaper=[[Sankei Sports]] |date=2018-05-02 |author=横山尚杜 |url=http://www.sanspo.com/baseball/news/20180502/swa18050213000003-n1.html |accessdate=2018-05-08}}</ref> In June, he got awarded League MVP of the month for batting 0.315 and driving in 14 runs, last accomplished by a Swallows rookie in 2011 by Tetsuto Yamada.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.hochi.co.jp/baseball/npb/20180711-OHT1T50122.html |title=【ヤクルト】ドラ1村上がファーム月間MVP |publisher=Sports Hochi |date=2018-07-11 |accessdate=2018-09-02}}</ref> He also got voted into the Fresh All Star games in July. He continued to play well in the following months, and finally got the chance to play in the main squad on the September 6 game against the Carps. He debuted as the starting 3rd baseman, and hit a home run on his first at-bat.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.daily.co.jp/baseball/2018/09/16/0011646408.shtml |title=ヤクルト・ドラ1村上が衝撃デビュー 高卒新人史上7人目の初打席初本塁打 |publisher=[[Daily Sports (Japanese newspaper)|Daily Sports]] |date=2018-09-16 |accessdate=2018-09-17}}</ref> But after failing to record a hit in his next 5 appearances, he was sent back to the farm and ended the season there. He finished with a batting average of 0.288, 17 home runs, 70 RBIs and 16 stolen bases in the minors.<ref>{{Cite web |title=イースタン・リーグ表彰 {{!}} 2018年 表彰選手 |url=http://npb.jp/award/2018/el.html |website=NPB.jp |accessdate=2019-10-07 |language=ja |last=一般社団法人日本野球機構}}</ref> Post-season, he was awarded both the Eastern League MVP and Rookie of the Year awards, and was given a 800,000 yen pay rise, bringing his annual salary to 8 million yen.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nikkansports.com/baseball/news/201811210000685.html |title=ヤクルト村上80万増 「本塁打1本ではまだまだ」 |publisher=[[Nikkan Sports]] |date=2018-11-21 |accessdate=2021-05-02}}</ref>
He spent most of the season playing in Eastern League (minors) games. He batted at .311 in 28 games until the end of April, with 3 home runs and 20 RBI.<ref>{{Cite news |title=【球界ここだけの話(1258)】ヤクルトD1・村上宗隆、イースタンで不動のレギュラー 三木2軍チーフコーチが魅力を語る |newspaper=[[Sankei Sports]] |date=2018-05-02 |author=横山尚杜 |url=http://www.sanspo.com/baseball/news/20180502/swa18050213000003-n1.html |accessdate=2018-05-08}}</ref> In June, he got awarded League MVP of the month for batting 0.315 and driving in 14 runs, last accomplished by a Swallows rookie in 2011 by Tetsuto Yamada.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.hochi.co.jp/baseball/npb/20180711-OHT1T50122.html |title=【ヤクルト】ドラ1村上がファーム月間MVP |publisher=Sports Hochi |date=2018-07-11 |accessdate=2018-09-02}}</ref> He also got voted into the Fresh All Star games in July. He continued to play well in the following months, and finally got the chance to play in the main squad on the September 16 game against the Carps. He debuted as the starting 3rd baseman, and hit a home run on his first at-bat.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.daily.co.jp/baseball/2018/09/16/0011646408.shtml |title=ヤクルト・ドラ1村上が衝撃デビュー 高卒新人史上7人目の初打席初本塁打 |publisher=[[Daily Sports (Japanese newspaper)|Daily Sports]] |date=2018-09-16 |accessdate=2018-09-17}}</ref> But after failing to record a hit in his next 5 appearances, he was sent back to the farm and ended the season there. He finished with a batting average of 0.288, 17 home runs, 70 RBIs and 16 stolen bases in the minors.<ref>{{Cite web |title=イースタン・リーグ表彰 {{!}} 2018年 表彰選手 |url=http://npb.jp/award/2018/el.html |website=NPB.jp |accessdate=2019-10-07 |language=ja |last=一般社団法人日本野球機構}}</ref> Post-season, he was awarded both the Eastern League MVP and Rookie of the Year awards, and was given a 800,000 yen pay rise, bringing his annual salary to 8 million yen.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nikkansports.com/baseball/news/201811210000685.html |title=ヤクルト村上80万増 「本塁打1本ではまだまだ」 |publisher=[[Nikkan Sports]] |date=2018-11-21 |accessdate=2021-05-02}}</ref>


'''2019'''
'''2019'''


2019 was Murakami's break out season. On February 27, he was selected to play for [[Japan national baseball team]] at the 2019 exhibition games against [[Mexico national baseball team|Mexico]].<ref>{{ cite web | url=http://www.japan-baseball.jp/jp/news/press/20190218_1.html | title=ENEOS 侍ジャパンシリーズ2019「日本 vs メキシコ」に出場するメンバー28名が決定 | work=野球日本代表 侍ジャパン オフィシャルサイト | language=Japanese | date=February 18, 2019 | accessdate=February 27, 2019 }}</ref> His great performance during the pre-season exhibition games earned him the 3rd base spot in the season-opener. This made him the youngest Swallows player to start in the season opening game at 19 years old, beating the previous record of 21 year-old Seikichi Nishioka in 1958.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.sanspo.com/baseball/news/20190329/swa19032905040002-n2.html |title=ヤクルトV奪回新打線!「6番」村上、球団三塁最年少19歳1カ月開幕スタメンへ |publisher=[[Sankei Sports]] |date=2019-03-29 |accessdate=2020-11-06}}</ref> He hit his 10th home run by May 10, and managed to secure the clean up position by May 12.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nikkansports.com/baseball/news/201905120000342.html |title=ヤクルト青木、山田哲人スタメン外れ4番に村上宗隆 |publisher=[[Nikkan Sports]] |date=2019-05-12 |accessdate=2021-06-13}}</ref> He got voted into his first All-Star Game in July where he got top votes for 3rd base, and was also selected for the Home Run Derby showdown.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ヤクルト村上逆転で球宴切符「自分のスイング」貫く |url=https://www.nikkansports.com/baseball/news/201906240000609.html |website=[[Nikkan Sports]] |date=2019-06-24 |accessdate=2019-09-29 |language=ja}}</ref> On August 12, he hit his first walk-off home run against the Baystars and became the youngest NPB player to achieve this feat.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ヤクルト・村上、史上最年少サヨナラ弾!山崎砕いた逆転25号2ラン |url=https://www.sanspo.com/baseball/news/20190813/swa19081302260001-n1.html |website=[[Sankei Sports]] |date=2019-08-13 |accessdate=2019-09-29 |language=ja-JP}}</ref> He hit his 30th home run by August 22, and became the first Central League player drafted out of high school to notch 30 home runs within 2 years from his debut.<ref>{{Cite web |title=村上が高卒2年目セ初30号、10代初の月間10発 |url=https://www.nikkansports.com/baseball/news/201908220001229.html |website=[[Nikkan Sports]] |date=2019-08-22 |accessdate=2019-09-29 |language=ja}}</ref> On September 4, he broke the NPB RBI record of high school drafted players in their 2nd season by notching his 87th RBI.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ヤクルト村上が高卒2年目以内の歴代最多打点に 87打点で中西太を超える |url=https://full-count.jp/2019/09/04/post526136/ |website=Full-Count |date=2019-09-04 |accessdate=2019-10-06 |language=ja}}</ref>
On February 27, 2019, he was selected to play for [[Japan national baseball team]] at the 2019 exhibition games against [[Mexico national baseball team|Mexico]].<ref>{{ cite web | url=http://www.japan-baseball.jp/jp/news/press/20190218_1.html | title=ENEOS 侍ジャパンシリーズ2019「日本 vs メキシコ」に出場するメンバー28名が決定 | work=野球日本代表 侍ジャパン オフィシャルサイト | language=Japanese | date=February 18, 2019 | accessdate=February 27, 2019 }}</ref>




==References==
==References==

Revision as of 06:29, 15 June 2021

Munetaka Murakami
Murakami with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows
Tokyo Yakult Swallows – No. 55
Infielder
Born: (2000-02-02) February 2, 2000 (age 24)
Kumamoto, Kumamoto, Japan
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
debut
September 16, 2018, for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows
Career statistics
(through 2020 season)
Batting average.263
Runs batted in184
Home runs65
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Munetaka Murakami (村上 宗隆, Murakami Munetaka, born February 2, 2000 in Kumamoto, Kumamoto, Japan) is a Japanese professional baseball infielder for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).[1]

Early Baseball Career

Munetaka started playing baseball at the early age of 5. He entered Kyushū Gakuin Integrated High School where he became their team's regular first baseman and clean-up hitter. They made it to the 2015 Koshien national tournaments in his first year, but got defeated in the first round. He then played catcher in his 2nd and 3rd year, but they did not make it to any national tournaments. He hit a total of 52 home runs in high school,[2] and his slugging prowess earned him the nickname "Babe Ruth of Higo", Higo being the former name of Kumamoto Prefecture.[3]

Tokyo Yakult Swallows

Despite not getting a lot of media exposure from appearances in national games, he was drafted in the first round of the 2017 NPB Draft by the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, Yomiuri Giants and the Rakuten Golden Eagles, as an alternative pick after they lost Kōtarō Kiyomiya to the Nippon Ham Fighters.[4] The Swallows won the lottery, and signed him for a contract of 80 million yen and a 7.2 million yen annual salary. He was assigned jersey number 55.[1]

2018

He spent most of the season playing in Eastern League (minors) games. He batted at .311 in 28 games until the end of April, with 3 home runs and 20 RBI.[5] In June, he got awarded League MVP of the month for batting 0.315 and driving in 14 runs, last accomplished by a Swallows rookie in 2011 by Tetsuto Yamada.[6] He also got voted into the Fresh All Star games in July. He continued to play well in the following months, and finally got the chance to play in the main squad on the September 16 game against the Carps. He debuted as the starting 3rd baseman, and hit a home run on his first at-bat.[7] But after failing to record a hit in his next 5 appearances, he was sent back to the farm and ended the season there. He finished with a batting average of 0.288, 17 home runs, 70 RBIs and 16 stolen bases in the minors.[8] Post-season, he was awarded both the Eastern League MVP and Rookie of the Year awards, and was given a 800,000 yen pay rise, bringing his annual salary to 8 million yen.[9]

2019

2019 was Murakami's break out season. On February 27, he was selected to play for Japan national baseball team at the 2019 exhibition games against Mexico.[10] His great performance during the pre-season exhibition games earned him the 3rd base spot in the season-opener. This made him the youngest Swallows player to start in the season opening game at 19 years old, beating the previous record of 21 year-old Seikichi Nishioka in 1958.[11] He hit his 10th home run by May 10, and managed to secure the clean up position by May 12.[12] He got voted into his first All-Star Game in July where he got top votes for 3rd base, and was also selected for the Home Run Derby showdown.[13] On August 12, he hit his first walk-off home run against the Baystars and became the youngest NPB player to achieve this feat.[14] He hit his 30th home run by August 22, and became the first Central League player drafted out of high school to notch 30 home runs within 2 years from his debut.[15] On September 4, he broke the NPB RBI record of high school drafted players in their 2nd season by notching his 87th RBI.[16]


References

  1. ^ a b "ヤクルト1位村上は55番!目指すは燕のゴジラだ". Nikkan Sports. 2017-11-12. Retrieved 2018-09-02.
  2. ^ 赤尾裕希 (2017-12-22). "ヤクルトD1・村上、バレ&山田に弟子入り志願「打撃論聞きたい」". Sankei Sports. Retrieved 2018-05-08.
  3. ^ 須藤佳裕 (2017-10-27). "燕1位に「肥後のベーブ・ルース」九州学院高・村上/ドラフト". Sankei Sports. Retrieved 2020-05-23.
  4. ^ "ヤクルトは外れ1位で九州学院・村上 3球団競合". Nikkan Sports. 2017-10-26. Retrieved 2018-09-02.
  5. ^ 横山尚杜 (2018-05-02). "【球界ここだけの話(1258)】ヤクルトD1・村上宗隆、イースタンで不動のレギュラー 三木2軍チーフコーチが魅力を語る". Sankei Sports. Retrieved 2018-05-08.
  6. ^ "【ヤクルト】ドラ1村上がファーム月間MVP". Sports Hochi. 2018-07-11. Retrieved 2018-09-02.
  7. ^ "ヤクルト・ドラ1村上が衝撃デビュー 高卒新人史上7人目の初打席初本塁打". Daily Sports. 2018-09-16. Retrieved 2018-09-17.
  8. ^ 一般社団法人日本野球機構. "イースタン・リーグ表彰 | 2018年 表彰選手". NPB.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2019-10-07.
  9. ^ "ヤクルト村上80万増 「本塁打1本ではまだまだ」". Nikkan Sports. 2018-11-21. Retrieved 2021-05-02.
  10. ^ "ENEOS 侍ジャパンシリーズ2019「日本 vs メキシコ」に出場するメンバー28名が決定". 野球日本代表 侍ジャパン オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). February 18, 2019. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
  11. ^ "ヤクルトV奪回新打線!「6番」村上、球団三塁最年少19歳1カ月開幕スタメンへ". Sankei Sports. 2019-03-29. Retrieved 2020-11-06.
  12. ^ "ヤクルト青木、山田哲人スタメン外れ4番に村上宗隆". Nikkan Sports. 2019-05-12. Retrieved 2021-06-13.
  13. ^ "ヤクルト村上逆転で球宴切符「自分のスイング」貫く". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 2019-06-24. Retrieved 2019-09-29.
  14. ^ "ヤクルト・村上、史上最年少サヨナラ弾!山崎砕いた逆転25号2ラン". Sankei Sports (in Japanese). 2019-08-13. Retrieved 2019-09-29.
  15. ^ "村上が高卒2年目セ初30号、10代初の月間10発". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 2019-08-22. Retrieved 2019-09-29.
  16. ^ "ヤクルト村上が高卒2年目以内の歴代最多打点に 87打点で中西太を超える". Full-Count (in Japanese). 2019-09-04. Retrieved 2019-10-06.