Rikuu Nishida
| Rikuu Nishida | |
|---|---|
| Chicago White Sox – No. 51 | |
| Second baseman / Outfielder | |
| Born: May 6, 2001 Hirakata, Japan[1] | |
Bats: Left Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| May 25, 2026, for the Chicago White Sox | |
| MLB statistics (through June 6, 2026) | |
| Batting average | .222 |
| Home runs | 0 |
| Runs batted in | 2 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
| |
Rikuu Nishida (西田 陸浮, Nishida Rikuu; born May 6, 2001) is a Japanese professional baseball second baseman and outfielder for the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2026.
Amateur career
[edit]Nishida attended Tohoku High School.[2] He played college baseball at Mt. Hood Community College for two years before transferring to the University of Oregon to play for the Oregon Ducks.[3] During his college baseball career, Nishida would often use a wooden baseball bat instead of a metal one.[4][5] In 2022, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Hyannis Harbor Hawks of the Cape Cod Baseball League and was named a league all-star.[6]
Professional career
[edit]Nishida was selected by the Chicago White Sox in the 11th round of the 2023 Major League Baseball draft as the 329th overall pick, receiving a $170,000 signing bonus.[7]
On May 25, 2026, Nishida was promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[8][9] When he made his MLB debut against the Minnesota Twins on the same day, he became the first Japanese born and raised player to play NCAA Division I baseball in the United States and play in MLB.[10] Nishida went 1-for-3 with a single, and threw out Orlando Arcia at home plate from right field.[11]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ "MLBドラフト指名・西田陸浮（22）が語る 東北高で出場かなわなかった甲子園と、渡米後の軌跡（Yahoo!ニュース オリジナル 特集）". Yahoo!ニュース (in Japanese). August 22, 2023. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
- ↑ The Chosun Daily (May 26, 2026). "Nishida Riku: Japanese Utility Player's Unconventional MLB Debut". The Chosun Daily. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
- ↑ André Simms (3 August 2022). "Meet Rikuu Nishida the 'glue' of a dynamic Hyannis Harbor Hawks team". Cape Cod Times.
- ↑ Tyson Alger (8 March 2023). "Japanese college baseball player draws attention for his unique approach". The I-5 Corridor.
- ↑ Larry Brown (6 March 2023). "'He did Rikuu things': On Oregon's wood bat-swinging, bomb-swatting slugger from Japan". Larry Brown Sports.
- ↑ "#3 Rikuu Nishida - Profile". pointstreak.com. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
- ↑ Joel Odom (11 July 2023). "Oregon Ducks baseball's Rikuu Nishida, Isaac Ayon picked on final day of MLB draft". The Oregonian/OregonLive.
- ↑ Scott Merkin (25 May 2026). "White Sox call up Japanese speedster Nishida, DFA Kelenic". MLB.
- ↑ "Jarred Kelenic Elects Free Agency". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved June 10, 2026.
- ↑ Heyen, Billy (25 May 2026). "One thing makes Rikuu Nishida different for White Sox than all other Japanese MLB players". The Sporting News.
- ↑ "Nishida notches first hit, 7 putouts in MLB debut for White Sox". MLB.com. Retrieved 2026-05-26.
External links
[edit]- Career statistics from MLB · ESPN · Baseball Reference · Fangraphs · Baseball Reference (Minors)
- Oregon Ducks bio
- 2001 births
- Living people
- 21st-century Japanese sportsmen
- Arizona Complex League White Sox players
- Birmingham Barons players
- Charlotte Knights players
- Chicago White Sox players
- Hyannis Harbor Hawks players
- Japanese expatriate baseball players in the United States
- Kannapolis Cannon Ballers players
- Major League Baseball outfielders
- Major League Baseball players from Japan
- Mt. Hood Saints baseball players
- Oregon Ducks baseball players
- Sportspeople from Osaka
- Winston-Salem Dash players