Taisei Makihara


Taisei Makihara is a professional Japanese baseball player. He plays infielder for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks.

Professional career

On October 28, 2010, Makihara was drafted by the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks as a developmental squad player in the 2010 Nippon Professional Baseball draft with Kodai Senga and Takuya Kai.
From 2011 to mid-2012 season, he played in informal matches against Shikoku Island League Plus's teams and amateur baseball teams, and played in the Western League of NPB's minor leagues.
On June 11, 2012, Makihara signed a 4.4 million yen contract with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks as a registered player under management. On June 14, he debuted in the Interleague play against the Chunichi Dragons as a Pinch runner. In 2012 season, he played as a pinch runner in 5 games. And In the Western League, he was chosen as Mizuno Corporation Monthly MVP with recorded a monthly Batting average of.347 and a 3 Stolen bases in June.
In 2013 season, although he played only 6 games, he recorded the most Stolen bases in the Western League and was honored at the Japan Professional Baseball Convention 2013 on November 26.
On July 22, 2014, Makihara recorded his first hit. In 2014 season, although he played only 11 games, he recorded 120 hits in the new Western League record. And on November 26, he was honored with the Western League Batting Champions and Western League Excellent Player Award in the NPB AWARDS 2014.
In 2015 season, Makihara finished the regular season in 43 games with a batting average of.159, a 2 Stolen base, and a RBI of 4. And he was selected as the Japan Series roster in the 2015 Japan Series.
In 2016 season, Makihara finished the regular season in 41 games with a batting average of.244, a 4 Stolen base, and a RBI of 6.
Makihara could only play 10 games in the 2017 season due to his right shoulder injury in late June.
On July 16, 2018, Makihara recorded his first home run. In 2018 season, he became a starting member, played 59 games and had a batting average of.317, 3 home runs, 9 Stolen base, and RBI of 26, but injured his right foot on September 27. And he was unable to participate in the 2018 Japan Series.
In the 2019 season, Makihara finished the regular season in 114 games with a batting average of.242, a 3 home runs, 9 Stolen base, and a RBI of 27.
In the 2019 Pacific League Climax Series with the Saitama Seibu Lions on October 11, he hit a two-run home run and supported starter pitcher Senga. In the 2019 Japan Series, he contributed to Hawks' third consecutive Japan Series Champion with offense and defensive, such as recording two consecutive plate appearance hits.

International career

On October 21, 2014, Makihara was selected as the Japan national baseball team in the 2014 21U Baseball World Cup. And on November 16, he was honored with the best nine and Best Defensive Player Award at the 2014 21U Baseball World Cup.