Shun Okamoto
| Shun Okamoto | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Hiroshima Toyo Carp – No. 53 | |
| pitcher | |
| Born: June 12, 2002 Katsuura, Katsuura District, Tokushima, Japan | |
Bats: left Throws: right | |
| NPB debut | |
| March 28, 2025, for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp | |
| NPB statistics (through 2025 season) | |
| Win–loss record | 1–1 |
| Earned run average | 2.88 |
| Strikeouts | 37 |
| Saves | 0 |
| Holds | 1 |
| Teams | |
| |
Shun Okamoto (岡本 駿, Okamoto Shun; extra) born June 12, 2002 in Katsuura, Katsuura District, Tokushima, Japan[1] is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
Career
[edit]Amateur
[edit]Okamoto started playing baseball for the Katsuura Tigers Sports Boys' Team when he was in second grade at Yokose Elementary School. [2][3] He was a member of the Japanese-style baseball Club when he was a student at Katsuura Junior High School.[2][3] At Jonan High School, he became a bench member from the fall of his first year.[4][5] He was primarily a shortstop infielder in high school, but also pitched.[6][7]
Okamoto then enrolled in the Faculty of business at Konan University.[7] He decided to focus on pitching in college.[6] In the fall of his freshman year, he became the winning pitcher in a league game for the first time,[6] and also recording a shutout against Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences.[8] He recorded a shutout in the opening game of the 2024 spring league against Kansai Gaidai University,[9] but only pitched in two games that spring.[10] He returned to the team before the fall league.[4] He pitched a total of 186 innings in his collegiate career. He was 14-12 with 143 strikeouts.[8]
Okamoto drafted in the 3rd round of the 2024 Nippon Professional Baseball draft, selected by the Hiroshima Toyo Carp.[1] He signed a tentative contract with the team on November 14th.[11][12] He became the first professional baseball player to graduate from Konan University.[11]
Professional
[edit]In 2025, Okamoto pitched in a practice game against the Chiba Lotte Marines, and struck out three consecutive batters.[13][14] He made his professional debut in the opening game against the Hanshin Tigers on March 28th.[15] On April 20th, Okamoto's pitch hit by Seishirō Sakamoto's head, resulting in an ejection for dangerous pitch.[16] On May 13th, he recorded his first professional winning pitcher against the Yomiuri Giants.[17]
Player profile
[edit]Okamoto is a right right-handed pitcher. He throws a four-seam fastball topping out at 151 km/h,[18] a slider, a cut fastball, a changeup, a two-seam fastball,[8] and a forkball[2]. In 2025, Takahiro Arai said about his two-seam fastball: "His two-seam fastball is hard to distinguish from a split-finger fastball."[19]
Regarding his batting, Okamoto said, "I'm good at hitting to the opposite field and center field."[12]
Personal life
[edit]For his university graduation thesis, he wrote about the Carp's business history.[20]
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "プロ野球ドラフト 甲南大から初、岡本駿投手が広島から3位 186センチの恵まれた体格の右腕". Kobe Shimbun. 2024-10-24. Retrieved 2024-11-09.
- ^ a b c "【大学野球】就活に有利だから甲南大に進んだ岡本駿がＮＰＢ入りを目指す剛腕に成長するまで". Sports Hochi. 2024-09-20. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
- ^ a b "広島ドラ３・岡本駿 １年前は就職活動「人生何があるのか分からないな」 甲南大進学から投手本格化の最速１４９キロ". Daily Sports. 2024-10-25. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
- ^ a b "プロ注目甲南大・岡本駿に巨人スカウト「伸びしろまだまだ」６球団視察前で７回０封 阪神大学Ｌ". Nikkan Sports. 2024-09-07. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
- ^ "広島ドラ3岡本 侍守護神級「出世ロード」目指す「僕も日本を背負って…」将来性抜群も目標は開幕1軍". Sports Nippon. 2024-11-14. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
- ^ a b c "甲南大・岡本駿 城南高校時代は主に内野手、いまは「投手一本」で勝負し、目指すプロ". 4years. 2024-09-30. Retrieved 2024-11-09.
- ^ a b "甲南大学初！岡本駿さん、プロ野球球団からドラフト指名！！". KONAN-PLANET. 2024-11-21. Retrieved 2024-11-29.
- ^ a b c "大瀬良大地や森下暢仁の直球を参考にもっと成長したい！広島カープがドラフト3位指名した甲南大の岡本駿ってどんな選手？". Nihon Bungeisha. 2024-10-31. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
- ^ "甲南大が白星発進 エース岡本が完封". Sports Nippon. 2024-04-06. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
- ^ a b "【広島】ドラ３岡本駿が仮契約 阪神大学連盟の、あの大投手を見た衝撃が原点「そういう選手に」". 日刊スポーツ. 2024-11-14. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
- ^ a b "【広島】ドラフト３位の最速１４９キロ右腕・岡本駿が仮契約「しっかり成績を残し、日本を背負う投手に」". Sports Hochi. 2024-11-14. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
- ^ "広島ドラ3岡本が圧巻の3者連続奪三振 ドラ2佐藤柳＆ドラ4渡邉も負けじとアピール". BASEBALL KING. 2025-02-19. Retrieved 2025-03-08.
- ^ "【広島】投手本格転向4年足らずのドラ3右腕あるぞ開幕1軍！練習試合で3者連続三振". Sports Hochi. 2025-02-19. Retrieved 2025-05-03.
- ^ "広島 ドラフト3位右腕・岡本駿が1軍デビュー 甲南大から初のプロ野球選手は1回を1安打無失点". Sports Nippon. 2025-03-28. Retrieved 2025-05-14.
- ^ "【広島】岡本駿が危険球退場 新井監督「変化球が抜けて当ててしまった、申し訳ない」坂本気遣う". Nikkan Sports. 2025-04-20. Retrieved 2025-05-16.
- ^ "【広島】新人岡本駿、プロ初勝利でリベンジ果たす「"絶対やり返すぞ"と声をかけてくれて」". Nikkan Sports. 2025-05-13. Retrieved 2025-05-14.
- ^ "【広島】ドラ３岡本駿が２回無失点 オープン戦５戦６イニング無失点で開幕１軍入りにまた前進". Nikkan Sports. 2025-03-14. Retrieved 2025-03-14.
- ^ "【広島】新井監督「打った？それ、見てない（笑）」末包昇大が待望の今季1号／一問一答". Sports Hochi. 2025-02-19. Retrieved 2025-05-03.
- ^ "広島・ドラ3岡本は経営学部目線「カープの経営史」課題レポートを執筆 活躍して盛り上げる". Daily Sports. 2024-12-19. Retrieved 2025-05-03.