Former Players
| Name | Position | MLB Debut | Final MLB Game | Former MLB Team(s) | Current League | Current Team | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murakami, MasanoriMasanori Murakami | P | 01964-09-01September 1, 1964 | 01965-10-01October 1, 1965 | San Francisco Giants (1964–1965) | Retired | — | |
| Nomo, HideoHideo Nomo | P | 01995-05-02May 2, 1995 | 02008-04-18April 18, 2008 | Los Angeles Dodgers (1995–1998, 2002–2004) New York Mets (1998) Milwaukee Brewers (1999) Detroit Tigers (2000) Boston Red Sox (2001) Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2005) Kansas City Royals (2008) |
Retired | — | |
| Suzuki, MacMac Suzuki§ | P | 01996-07-07July 7, 1996 | 02002-06-28June 28, 2002 | Seattle Mariners (1996, 1998–1999) Kansas City Royals (1999–2001, 2002) Colorado Rockies (2001) Milwaukee Brewers (2001) |
Free agent | — | |
| Hasegawa, ShigetoshiShigetoshi Hasegawa | P | 01997-04-05April 5, 1997 | 02005-09-28September 28, 2005 | Anaheim Angels (1997–2001) Seattle Mariners (2002–2005) |
Retired | — | |
| Kashiwada, TakashiTakashi Kashiwada | P | 01997-05-01May 1, 1997 | 01997-09-18September 18, 1997 | New York Mets (1997) | Retired | — | |
| Irabu, HidekiHideki Irabu | P | 01997-07-10July 10, 1997 | 02002-07-12July 12, 2002 | New York Yankees (1997–1999) Montreal Expos (2000–2001) Texas Rangers (2002) |
Deceased | — | |
| Yoshii, MasatoMasato Yoshii | P | 01998-04-05April 5, 1998 | 02002-09-11September 11, 2002 | New York Mets (1998–1999) Colorado Rockies (2000) Montreal Expos (2001–2002) |
Retired | — | |
| Kida, MasaoMasao Kida | P | 01999-04-05April 5, 1999 | 02005-08-03August 3, 2005 | Detroit Tigers (1999–2000) Los Angeles Dodgers (2003–2004) Seattle Mariners (2004–2005) |
Free agent | — | |
| Ohka, TomokazuTomokazu Ohka | P | 01999-07-19July 19, 1999 | 02009-10-04October 4, 2009 | Boston Red Sox (1999–2001) Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals (2001–2005) Milwaukee Brewers (2005–2006) Toronto Blue Jays (2007) Cleveland Indians (2009) |
Free agent | — | |
| Sasaki, KazuhiroKazuhiro Sasaki | P | 02000-04-05April 5, 2000 | 02003-09-28September 28, 2003 | Seattle Mariners (2000–2003) | Retired | — | |
| Suzuki, IchiroIchiro Suzuki* | RF | 02001-04-02April 2, 2001 | 02012-10-03October 3, 2012 | Seattle Mariners (2001–2012) New York Yankees (2012) |
Free agent | — | |
| Shinjo, TsuyoshiTsuyoshi Shinjo | OF | 02001-04-03April 3, 2001 | 02003-06-27June 27, 2003 | New York Mets (2001, 2003) San Francisco Giants (2002) |
Retired | — | |
| Nomura, TakahitoTakahito Nomura | P | 02002-04-03April 3, 2002 | 02002-05-15May 15, 2002 | Milwaukee Brewers (2002) | Retired | — | |
| Komiyama, SatoruSatoru Komiyama | P | 02002-04-04April 4, 2002 | 02002-09-11September 11, 2002 | New York Mets (2002) | Retired | — | |
| Ishii, KazuhisaKazuhisa Ishii* | P | 02002-04-06April 6, 2002 | 02005-09-28September 28, 2005 | Los Angeles Dodgers (2002–2004) New York Mets (2005) |
NPB | Saitama Seibu Lions | |
| Taguchi, SoSo Taguchi | OF | 02002-06-10June 10, 2002 | 02009-10-04October 4, 2009 | St. Louis Cardinals (2002–2007) Philadelphia Phillies (2008) Chicago Cubs (2009) |
Retired | — | |
| Matsui, HidekiHideki Matsui | LF/DH | 02003-03-31March 31, 2003 | 02012-07-22July 22, 2012 | New York Yankees (2003–2009) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (2010) Oakland Athletics (2011) Tampa Bay Rays (2012) |
Free agent | — | |
| Nakamura, MichealMicheal Nakamura§ | P | 02003-06-07June 7, 2003 | 02004-07-31July 31, 2004 | Minnesota Twins (2003) Toronto Blue Jays (2004) |
Retired | — | |
| Matsui, KazuoKazuo Matsui | SS/2B | 02004-04-06April 6, 2004 | 02010-05-18May 18, 2010 | New York Mets (2004–2006) Colorado Rockies (2006–2007) Houston Astros (2008–2010) |
NPB | Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles | |
| Otsuka, AkinoriAkinori Otsuka* | P | 02004-04-06April 6, 2004 | 02007-07-01July 1, 2007 | San Diego Padres (2004–2005) Texas Rangers (2006–2007) |
Free agent | — | |
| Takatsu, ShingoShingo Takatsu | P | 02004-04-09April 9, 2004 | 02005-10-02October 2, 2005 | Chicago White Sox (2004–2005) New York Mets (2005) |
Retired | — | |
| Tadano, KazuhitoKazuhito Tadano§ | P | 02004-04-27April 27, 2004 | 02005-07-16July 16, 2005 | Cleveland Indians (2004–2005) | NPB | Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters | |
| Iguchi, TadahitoTadahito Iguchi | 2B | 02005-04-04April 4, 2005 | 02008-09-28September 28, 2008 | Chicago White Sox (2005–2007) Philadelphia Phillies (2007, 2008) San Diego Padres (2008) |
NPB | Chiba Lotte Marines | |
| Yabu, KeiichiKeiichi Yabu | P | 02005-04-09April 9, 2005 | 02008-09-27September 27, 2008 | Oakland Athletics (2005) San Francisco Giants (2008) |
Retired | — | |
| Nakamura, NorihiroNorihiro Nakamura* | 3B | 02005-04-10April 10, 2005 | 02005-05-06May 6, 2005 | Los Angeles Dodgers (2005) | NPB | Yokohama DeNA BayStars | |
| Johjima, KenjiKenji Johjima | C | 02006-04-03April 3, 2006 | 02009-10-03October 3, 2009 | Seattle Mariners (2006–2009) | Retired | — | |
| Saito, TakashiTakashi Saito | P | 02006-04-09April 9, 2006 | 02012-09-30September 30, 2012 | Los Angeles Dodgers (2006–2008) Boston Red Sox (2009) Atlanta Braves (2010) Milwaukee Brewers (2011) Arizona Diamondbacks (2012) |
Free agent | — | |
| Okajima, HidekiHideki Okajima | P | 02007-04-02April 2, 2007 | 02011-05-09May 9, 2011 | Boston Red Sox (2007–2011) | NPB | Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks | |
| Iwamura, AkinoriAkinori Iwamura* | 2B | 02007-04-02April 2, 2007 | 02010-09-26September 26, 2010 | Tampa Bay Devil Rays/Rays (2007–2009) Pittsburgh Pirates (2010) Oakland Athletics (2010) |
Free agent | — | |
| Matsuzaka, DaisukeDaisuke Matsuzaka* | P | 02007-04-05April 5, 2007 | 02012-10-03October 3, 2012 | Boston Red Sox (2007–2012) | Free agent | — | |
| Igawa, KeiKei Igawa* | P | 02007-04-07April 7, 2007 | 02008-06-27June 27, 2008 | New York Yankees (2007–2008) | NPB | Orix Buffaloes | |
| Kuwata, MasumiMasumi Kuwata | P | 02007-06-10June 10, 2007 | 02007-08-13August 13, 2007 | Pittsburgh Pirates (2007) | Retired | — | |
| Fukudome, KosukeKosuke Fukudome | RF | 02008-03-31March 31, 2008 | 02012-06-03June 3, 2012 | Chicago Cubs (2008–2011) Cleveland Indians (2011) Chicago White Sox (2012) |
Free agent | — | |
| Fukumori, KazuoKazuo Fukumori | P | 02008-03-31March 31, 2008 | 02008-04-24April 24, 2008 | Texas Rangers (2008) | Retired | — | |
| Kobayashi, MasahideMasahide Kobayashi | P | 02008-04-02April 2, 2008 | 02009-05-07May 7, 2009 | Cleveland Indians (2008–2009) | Retired | — | |
| Yabuta, YasuhikoYasuhiko Yabuta | P | 02008-04-05April 5, 2008 | 02009-10-04October 4, 2009 | Kansas City Royals (2008–2009) | NPB | Chiba Lotte Marines | |
| Uehara, KojiKoji Uehara | P | 02009-04-08April 8, 2009 | 02012-10-03October 3, 2012 | Baltimore Orioles (2009–2011) Texas Rangers (2011–2012) |
Free agent | — | |
| Kawakami, KenshinKenshin Kawakami | P | 02009-04-11April 11, 2009 | 02010-09-09September 9, 2010 | Atlanta Braves (2009–2010) | NPB | Chunichi Dragons | |
| Takahashi, KenKen Takahashi | P | 02009-05-02May 2, 2009 | 02009-09-25September 25, 2009 | New York Mets (2009) | Retired | — | |
| Takahashi, HisanoriHisanori Takahashi | P | 02010-04-07April 7, 2010 | 02012-10-03October 3, 2012 | New York Mets (2010) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (2011–2012) Pittsburgh Pirates (2012) |
Free agent | — | |
| Igarashi, RyotaRyota Igarashi | P | 02010-04-08April 8, 2010 | 02012-08-12August 12, 2012 | New York Mets (2010–2011) Toronto Blue Jays (2012) New York Yankees (2012) |
NPB | Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks | |
| Nishioka, TsuyoshiTsuyoshi Nishioka* | 2B | 02011-04-01April 1, 2011 | 02012-08-08August 8, 2012 | Minnesota Twins (2011–2012) | NPB | Hanshin Tigers | |
| Tateyama, YoshinoriYoshinori Tateyama | P | 02011-05-24May 24, 2011 | 02012-09-26September 26, 2012 | Texas Rangers (2011–2012) | Free agent | — | |
| Kawasaki, MunenoriMunenori Kawasaki | SS | 02012-04-07April 7, 2012 | 02012-10-02October 2, 2012 | Seattle Mariners (2012) | Free agent | — |
Read more about this topic: List Of Major League Baseball Players From Japan
Famous quotes containing the word players:
“The players have often mentioned it as an honour to Shakespeare, that in his writing, whatsoever he penned, he never blotted out [a] line. My answer hath been, “Would he had blotted a thousand.””
—Ben Jonson (c. 1572–1637)
“Yeah, percentage players die broke too, don’t they, Bert?”
—Sydney Carroll, U.S. screenwriter, and Robert Rossen. Eddie Felson (Paul Newman)