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Home / Sport

Baseball: Star Chiba Lotte Marines infielder Taiga Hirasawa headlines Japanese trio signing with Auckland Tuatara

Christopher Reive
By Christopher Reive
Senior Sports Journalist·NZ Herald·
17 Oct, 2018 01:35 AM2 mins to read

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The Auckland Tuatara Baseball team have held trials across the country revealing plenty of local talent.

About a month out from the start of their debut Australian Baseball League season, the Auckland Tuatara continue to build a formidable roster.

Already with plenty of former and future Major League Baseball talent as well as local players on the roster, they've added more strength to the pitching and infield staff, bringing in a trio of players from Japan.

The Tuatara have signed rising infield star Taiga Hirasawa along with pitching duo Tomohito Sakai and Atsuki Taneichi from the Chiba Lotte Marines - who play in Japan's top competition.

Hirasawa, 20, has shown plenty to be excited about since joining the Marines in 2016. The young shortstop brings a big bat, speed and a solid defensive foundation he hoped to build on while playing in Auckland.

Sakai, 25, and Taneichi, 20, should also play a big role with the Tuatara and were expected to find a home in the Auckland side's starting rotation.

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The trio will be available for five of the Tuatara's 10 series' through the season, with their dispatch period from the Marines spanning from November 22 to December 24; the first three series during that span will be played in Auckland.

The Tuatara season begins on November 15 in Perth.

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