Hayato Sakamoto

Hayato Sakamoto
Hayato Sakamoto
	Sakamoto with the Yomiuri Giants
Yomiuri Giants – No. 6
	Shortstop
	Born: December 14, 1988 (age 35); Itami, Hyōgo, Japan
	Bats: Right Throws: Right
NPB debut
	July 12, 2007, for the Yomiuri Giants
NPB statistics ; (through 2024)
Batting average	.288
Hits	2,415
Home runs	295
Runs batted in	1,038
Stolen bases	163
Teams
	Yomiuri Giants (2007–present);
Career highlights and awards
	Central League Rookie Player Special Award (2008); Central League MVP (2019); 7× Best Nine Award (2009, 2012, 2016, 2018-2021); 5× Central League Golden Glove Award (2016, 2017, 2019-2021); Central League batting champion (2016); 13× NPB All-Star (2008–2014, 2016–2019, 2021, 2022); 2× Japan Series champion (2009, 2012); Tokyo 2020 All-Olympic Baseball Team (2021); Hochi Professional Sports Award (2009); Sports Nippon Shimbun Selected Super Play Award (2009); 2× Home Hero of the Year (2015, 2016); Asia Series MVP (2012); Itami Citizen Honor Award (2021); NPB records NPB record 35-game on-base streak;
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing Japan
Summer Olympics
WBSC Premier12

Hayato Sakamoto (坂本勇人, Sakamoto Hayato, born December 14, 1988) is a Japanese professional baseball shortstop with the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).

In 2008, Sakamoto became the first player in Giants franchise history to start a season opener while under the age of 20 since Hideki Matsui.