Kenji Johjima

Kenji Johjima
Johjima with the Hanshin Tigers
Catcher
Born: (1976-06-08) June 8, 1976 (age 48)
Sasebo, Japan
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
Professional debut
NPB: May 31, 1995, for the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks
MLB: April 3, 2006, for the Seattle Mariners
Last appearance
MLB: October 3, 2009, for the Seattle Mariners
NPB: May 9, 2012, for the Hanshin Tigers
NPB statistics
Batting average.296
Home runs244
Runs batted in808
MLB statistics
Batting average.268
Home runs48
Runs batted in198
Teams
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing  Japan
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 2004 Athens Team
World Baseball Classic
Gold medal – first place 2009 Los Angeles Team

Kenji Johjima (城島 健司, Jōjima Kenji, born June 8, 1976) /ˈmə/ is a Japanese former professional baseball player. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball for four years with the Seattle Mariners in the American League, then returned to Japan and played for the Hanshin Tigers.

On November 21, 2005, Johjima and the Mariners agreed to a $16.5 million, three-year contract. Prior to signing with the Mariners, he played in Japan for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks team in the Pacific League who drafted him in 1999. Johjima also played in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens for Japan. On October 19, 2009, Johjima opted out of the final two years of a three-year extension that he had signed with the Mariners in 2008 with the intention to return to playing in Japan.