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Toshiyoshi Kubo – Right Field – Kyoto Kamikaze – 73.9% First Ballot

Toshiyoshi Kubo was a 5’9’’, 180 pound left-handed right fielder from Yokohama, Japan. Against right-handing pitching, Kubo was a rock solid contact hitter with a steady pop in his bat. Facing RHP, he had a strong career .904 OPS and 172 wRC+. Against lefties though, Kubo was subpar with .658 OPS and 97 wRC+. He was merely okay at drawing walks against either side, but his strikeout rate was decent.

Kubo certainly didn’t have prolific power, but his 162 game average got you plenty of extra base hits with 32 home runs, 20 doubles, and 9 triples. His baserunning speed and ability graded as above average to good. Kubo was a career right fielder and was an excellent defender with strong glove work and a powerful arm, winning six Gold Gloves in his career. Kubo’s ironman durability added to his reliability with 135+ games in all but his first two seasons. Few players were as steady and consistent over a 16-year career.

After playing at Waseda University in Tokyo, Kubo was picked 10^th overall by Kyoto in the 2006 EAB Draft. He spent almost all of 2007 in their academy and only made 13 pinch hit plate appearances in the regular season. The Kamikaze surprisingly ended an 11-year playoff drought and got to the Japan League Championship Series, where they fell to Tokyo. Kubo played eight playoff games and started one, but had unremarkable production.

Kubo was a part-time starter in 2008 with better metrics, winning Rookie of the Year over 120 games and 78 starts. He then took on the full-time gig after that. From 2009-21, Kubo was worth 5+ WAR each season and had 30+ homers in all but two years. In 2010, he won his first Silver Slugger and was third in MVP voting.

Kyoto missed the playoffs in 2008-09, but began a dynasty run from 2010-14. The Kamikaze won the EAB Championship in 2010 over Yongin with Kubo earning JLCS MVP over Kumamoto. Over 14 playoff starts, he had 21 hits, 12 runs, 2 doubles, 3 triples, 5 homers, 15 RBI, 1.185 OPS, and 1.4 WAR. Kubo had .896 OPS in the inaugural Baseball Grand Championship with Kyoto going 4-5 in the initial divisional format. One week after their title win, the Kamikaze gave Kubo an eight-year, $90 million extension.

Kubo won another Slugger in 2011 and Kyoto repeated as EAB champs, beating Goyang in the final. He was more forgettable in that playoff run with .693 OPS and 0.3 WAR over 17 starts. Kubo was stronger in the BGC with 22 hits, 13 runs, 6 homers, 18 RBI, .930 OPS, and 0.9 WAR as the Kamikaze went 9-10. Kyoto missed the 2012 playoffs by one game, then had a first round exit in 2013.

The Kamikaze capped off the run with their third title in 2014, dispatching Seongnam in the EAB Championship. Kubo was decent in the playoffs, finishing his Kyoto tenure with 61 playoff games, 65 hits, 32 runs, 8 doubles, 4 triples, 11 homers, 34 RBI, .291/.321/.511 slash, 147 wRC+, and 2.1 WAR. Kyoto was 8-11 in the 2014 BGC with Kubo getting 19 hits, 10 runs, 7 homers, 12 RBI, .907 OPS, and 0.5 WAR over 19 starts.

Kubo also regularly played in the World Baseball Championship for Japan from 2010-21, posting 91 games, 72 hits, 45 runs, 11 doubles, 26 homers, 59 RBI, .249/.314/.564 slash, and 2.6 WAR. The Japanese team finished third in both 2012 and 2019 while Kubo was a starter.

Kyoto fell to the middle tier for the remainder of Kubo’s time. He won his third Silver Slugger in 2015 and posted his career best OPS of .951 and 190 wRC+. In 2017, Kubo led a major stat for the only time with a career high 118 runs scored. 2017 also had his peaks in hits (196), batting average (.320), and WAR (8.2). Kubo’s first Gold Glove win came in 2018, his final season for the Kamikaze. His deal expired and Kubo became a free agent for the first time heading towards his age 34 season.

For Kyoto, Kubo had 1707 games, 1861 hits, 1005 runs, 221 doubles, 95 triples, 351 home runs, 958 RBI, 416 steals, .297/.335/.531 slash, 160 wRC+, and 66.4 WAR. He was very popular for his steady production for a decade and his role in three titles. Kubo’s #13 uniform would be retired by the Kamikaze at the end of his career. Up next would be a four-year, $54 million deal with Sapporo. Kubo would later sign an extension and play five years total with the Swordfish.

Kubo won five straight Gold Gloves with Sapporo and was worth 6+ WAR in each of his first three years. At age 35 in 2020, Kubo had his career best home run tally with 46. His bat and power declined noticeably in his last two years, although he still was a positive value player. Sapporo had division titles in 2019, 2020, and 2023; but couldn’t get out of the first round.

His playoff stats were poor in a limited sample size for Sapporo with 13 starts, .146/.163/.167 slash, and -0.4 WAR. Overall though with the Swordfish, Kubo had 771 games, 765 hits, 396 runs, 85 doubles, 36 triples, 142 homers, 421 RBI, .281/.319/.496 slash, 148 wRC+, and 26.3 WAR. Kubo hoped to play in 2024, but couldn’t find any suitors, eventually retiring that winter at age 39.

Kubo finished with 2478 games, 2626 hits, 1401 runs, 306 doubles, 131 triples, 493 home runs, 1379 RBI, 521 walks, 574 steals, .293/.330/.521 slash, 156 wRC+, and 92.7 WAR. As of 2037, Kubo is 76^th in hits, 62^nd in runs, 89^th in homers, 85^th in RBI, and 59^th in WAR among position players. He was one of those guys who quietly put up better tallies than many realized, since he never had massive peaks in his career.

There were some voters who thought his lack of big dominance should keep him out. However, the majority felt his tallies were solid enough. Kubo’s role in three championships for Kyoto clinched it for many voters. Kubo’s 73.9% got him across the 66% line for a first ballot induction as part of East Asia Baseball’s 2029 Hall of Fame class.



Kenzaburo “Pappy” Miyazaki – Yokohama Yellow Jackets – 68.2% First Ballot

Kenzaburo Miyazaki was a 6’0’’, 190 pound right-handed pitcher from Soka, Japan; a city of just under 250,000 people in the Saitama Prefecture. He was nicknamed “Pappy” as his friendly nature reminded you of a kind old man. Miyazaki’s fastball was far from kind to hitters though. It regularly was in the 99-101 mph range and gave Miyazaki a top tier stuff rating. He also had a respectable changeup and curveball in the arsenal.

Miyazaki’s movement and control were both above average to good, allowing him to focus on overpowering you with that fastball. His stamina was below average compared to most EAB aces and injuries would limit his output over a 15-year career. Miyazaki was a strong defensive pitcher and had a good pickoff move.

He attended Koku Gakuin University in Yokohama and drew plenty of attention from the city’s Yellow Jackets franchise. Yokohama grabbed Miyazaki in the 2008 EAB Draft with the #2 overall pick. As a rookie, Miyazaki was a full-time closer with mixed results with 28 save and a 3.84 ERA over 75 innings. He was a starter in 2010, but wasn’t ready yet for the big-time with a poor 4.73 ERA. A torn back muscle and forearm strain kept Miyazaki out much of 2011.

Miyazaki was good in limited innings in 2011, but some were worried that he might be a bust. The Yellow Jackets showed faith in Miyazaki and gave him a six-year, $39,540,000 extension after the 2011 campaign. He quickly justified that faith by winning 2012 Pitcher of the Year with an ERA title (1.78) and a league-best 0.72 WHIP. He also struck out 305 and had his career best WAR of 8.2.

In 2014, Miyazaki led the Japan League in strikeouts (311), WHIP (0.85), shutouts (5), and WAR (8.1); taking second in Pitcher of the Year voting. This helped Yokohama finally end a 22-year playoff drought, as they had been generally lousy since the turn of the century. The Yellow Jackets lost in the first round, but the franchise had real momentum for the first time since their late 1980s pennants.

While Miyazaki never again was a POTY finalist, he gave steady production in the regular season along with some solid playoff starts. Yokohama went 101-61 in 2015 and won it all, defeating Ulsan in the EAB Championship. Miyazaki won MVP of the JLCS win over Hiroshima, winning all five of his postseason starts with a 2.41 ERA over 37.1 innings and 46 strikeouts. Miyazaki was excellent in the Baseball Grand Championship with a 1.51 ERA and 42 Ks over 35.2 innings as the Yellow Jackets finished 9-10. He took second in BGC Best Pitcher voting.

Yokohama won the Japan League again in 2016, but lost the EAB final to Changwon. Miyazaki was even stronger in this run with a 1.39 ERA and 38 Ks in 32.1 innings, although he was more middling in the BGC with a 3.64 ERA over 29.2 innings and 42 strikeouts. The Yellow Jackets finished 11-8, one of five teams tied for the fifth-best record. Yokohama lost in the first round in 2017 with Miyazaki posting a lackluster 5.54 ERA in 13 innings. Miyazaki also saw limited use in the World Baseball Championship for Japan from 2011-20 with a 3.60 ERA over 95 innings, 4-6 record, 135 strikeouts, and 1.9 WAR.

Before the 2017 campaign, Miyazaki signed a five-year, $75,800,000 extension with Yokohama. The Yellow Jackets would be in the 70s range for wins for the next few years. Miyazaki was steady until suffering a torn flexor tendon in late June 2020 that knocked him out 10 months. He was back by spring 2020, but rotator cuff inflammation limited his starts.

Miyazaki had one year left on his deal and Yokohama’s competitive window had ended. The Yellow Jackets traded the soon-to-be 35-year old before the 2022 season to Fukuoka for prospects that ultimately didn’t pan out. For Yokohama, Miyazaki had a 149-105 record, 2.76 ERA, 2340.1 innings, 2871 strikeouts, 418 walks, 120 ERA+, and 54.2 WAR. Miyazaki’s #77 uniform would be later retired for his efforts and role in their pennant runs.

Fukuoka had won back-to-back division titles, but wanted to get over the hump. Miyazaki helped them as he looked solid in 2022 despite a partially torn labrum in May. He had a 2.37 ERA and 190 Ks over 182.1 innings with 4.3 WAR. The Frogs went 110-52 and won it all, defeating Daegu in the EAB Championship. Miyazaki was used as a reliever in the playoffs, but was a beast with 10.1 scoreless innings in six appearances with 15 strikeouts and 3 saves. Miyazaki was back to the rotation in the Baseball Grand Championship with a 3.81 ERA over 28.1 innings and 31 Ks. Fukuoka finished 11-8 in a five-way tie for fourth.

In total, Miyazaki had very good career playoff stats with an 8-1 record, 3 saves, 2.22 ERA, 109.2 innings, 137 strikeouts, 151 ERA+, and 3.0 WAR. He was a free agent for the first time heading towards age 36 and Osaka thought he still had some juice, giving Miyazaki a three-year, $40,500,000 deal. He only pitched in 2023 with mixed results on a 3.84 ERA over 187.2 innings, 117 Ks, and 2.1 WAR. Miyazaki decided to retire that winter at age 36.

Miyazaki finished with a 175-124 record, 2.81 ERA, 2710.1 innings, 3178 strikeouts, 491 walks, 227/336 quality starts, 70 complete games, 22 shutouts, 118 ERA+, 79 FIP-, and 60.7 WAR. As of 2037, he ranks 89^th in strikeouts but missed the top 100 in any other stat. Miyazaki’s resume was a tough one as his counting stats were on the lower end compared to what Hall of Fame voters usually expected. Working in his favor was an ERA title and Pitcher of the Year win, although Miyazaki’s time as a true top five level ace was brief.

He was more consistently above average in his later years, which hurt him with some voters. The playoff successes really helped Miyazaki’s cause. He was a big reason Yokohama won two pennants and an EAB title. Those who had forgotten that were reminded of his value with his dominance during Fukuoka’s 2022 title campaign. Miyazaki only narrowly crossed the line at 68.2%, but he made it in as a first ballot pick to wrap up an impressive four-player 2029 class for East Asia Baseball.