| Ryoji Aikawa | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Aikawa with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Yokohama DeNA BayStars – No. 80 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Catcher / Coach | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Born: July 11, 1976 Chiba, Japan | |||||||||||||||||||||
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |||||||||||||||||||||
| NPB debut | |||||||||||||||||||||
| August 21, 1999, for the Yokohama BayStars | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Last NPB appearance | |||||||||||||||||||||
| October 3, 2017, for the Yomiuri Giants | |||||||||||||||||||||
| NPB statistics (through 2017) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting average | .260 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Home runs | 69 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Hits | 1150 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Teams | |||||||||||||||||||||
| As player
As coach | |||||||||||||||||||||
Medals
| |||||||||||||||||||||
Ryoji Aikawa (相川 亮二, Aikawa Ryōji, born July 11, 1976 in Ichikawa, Chiba, Japan) is a former professional Japanese baseball player. He plays catcher for the Yomiuri Giants. [1]
Aikawa was a member of the Japanese national baseball team at the 2006 World Baseball Classic and 2013 World Baseball Classic. He also won the Bronze medal at the 2004 Olympic Games.
Aikawa is a Christian. Aikawa has spoken about his faith saying, "There are always hurdles and obstacles to overcome in daily life, but knowing God is there helps me get through difficult times. I wish more Japanese people would find Jesus Christ as I have, and I am thankful I have been able to play professional baseball for such a long time."[2]
His younger brother, Juri, is an actor and model.[3]
- ^ "Ryoji Aikawa". Baseball Reference. Retrieved July 13, 2019.
- ^ "Still on the Diamond". April 6, 2015.
- ^ "JURI Profile" (PDF). Gig Management Japan. Retrieved March 8, 2017.